Have you ever stopped to consider what mindset you have?
As we move through life, we often don’t stop and consider our own thought process. Is that thought process healthy or does it keep us from succeeding? Is our thought process creating roadblocks to our success? How is our mindset effecting our businesses?
According to Dictionary.com, a mindset is “an attitude, disposition, or mood.” It effects how we perceive virtually everything and what decisions we make.
We often assume a mindset without even realizing we have done so. However, when you become aware of your mindset, you can make the steps to change it and improve your decision making. This can help you not only improve your business but your life decisions overall. It can create a clearer path for decision making and remove the roadblock standing in the way of your success.
The entrepreneurial, fixed, and growth mindsets differ in many ways. Knowing these differences and becoming conscious of the type that we possess will make it possible for us to shift to a more beneficial mindset.
So what are these mindsets and which one is the most beneficial?
A young, African American man was born in January of 1929. He was born into an era of segregation and violence. Despite these challenges, this man strove to succeed and learn. He attended a segregated school and graduated high school to move onto a distinguished college in Atlanta. According to nobelprize.org, “After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951.” He didn’t stop there. This man continued to Boston University where he would receive his doctorate. Later, he stood in Washington D.C. with 250,000 people to deliver his ” I Have a Dream Speech”. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this man is Martin Luther King Jr.
But why am I giving you the background of Martin Luther King Jr. ? What does he have to do with mindset?
Martin Luther King Jr. is the embodiment of a growth and entrepreneurial mindset. He believed abilities could be developed through hard work, that brain and talent are only the beginning of success, and that failure is only an opportunity to improve. Martin Luther King Jr. was a lifelong learner. All of these things are components of a growth mindset.
As for the entrepreneurial mindset, he could quickly get organize and address ambiguity head on. He knew how to persevere and work through levels of discomfort. He strategically organized his peace walks and worked hard to make the change that he dreamt of.
The opposite of the growth and entrepreneurial mindset is a fixed mindset.
Those that have a fixed mindset:
- perceive talents and abilities as traits
- think that brains paired with talents ultimately leads to success
- view constructive criticism as a personal attack
- consider the success of others as a result of luck
- give up after failing and avoid challenges all together.
These people often use the word “can’t” and believe in a limited scope to abilities. I do not have an example of one of these people because none of them are famous or well known.
Work to make yourself known based off the the decisions you make in your business.
Consider which mindset works best for your career? How can you change your mindset in a way that might benefit your business?
About our author
Abby Cahn is a Spring 2018 marketing intern for Kansas SBDC. She went to Cowley County Community College as a Secondary Art and English Education Major and graduated with an Associates in Arts. However, she decided business was the most beneficial route for her. Currently, she is a Fort Hays State University undergraduate student pursuing her degree in Business Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. She enjoys creating artwork, reading, and assembling floral arrangements. Abby hopes to open her own small business some day. She wants to teach people how to create floral arrangements and artwork, as well as sell them, from a small shop in Kansas. By doing this, she hopes to promote creativity and art as an outlet for communication, learning, and relaxation. She knows that one day if she needs assistance with her business she will go to her local Kansas SBDC.