How to Determine Your Mindset – And Change It

Have you heard about the connection between your mindset and positive life outcomes? If you want to change your mindset to a more positive one, it’s important to determine your mindset as it is currently. Here are some tips on how to do that, and how to change your mindset if you want.

It’s Not about Your Intelligence

First, it’s important to get over the idea that this is about intelligence. It isn’t. Determining your mindset is a matter of figuring out how you think and what your thought patterns are. It’s about figuring out what makes you tick mentally and taking the proper steps to make changes to a more positive mindset. This isn’t about how smart you are, or what kind of mindset is “right” or “wrong.” It’s about what works for you and helps you succeed in the long run.

Fixed Mindsets

Do you have a fixed mindset? People with a fixed mindset tend to go with the safer options, and worry about failing. If you have a fixed mindset, you may worry that others will think you’re not smart. This keeps you from asking for help if you need it, and you may find it hard to take constructive criticism.

Growth Mindsets

Those with growth mindsets tend to seek out challenges rather than staying where it’s safe. Rather than fearing failure, those with growth mindsets seek out opportunities to develop their minds, and respond well to feedback and criticism. In this mindset, there tends to be less of a tendency to fear what others think of you, so you feel more comfortable asking for help.

Do either of these mindsets describe you? These are just two main ones; there are certainly other types of mindsets that fall in or out of these main categories. But getting a handle on these two is a good first step toward determining your mindset.

How to Change It?

If you have evaluated your mindset and have found it’s not really helping you succeed (or hindering you from success), then you can take some steps to change it. One helpful tactic is to internalize positive affirmations, and to phrase your approach to challenges in the form of a question.

Studies show that asking yourself if you can do something tends to produce better results than telling yourself you can do something. And positive affirmations change negative thoughts like, “I was never good at___” or “I am just bad at ____” and turn them into positives (“I am working on___”).

Be forgiving with yourself! Many of those things you think you are not good at are simply ingrained negative beliefs. Determining your mindset can help you get a hold of these things and change them for the better.