How I Embraced A Simple Mindset That Took Me From Surviving To Thriving

There are two types of mindsets – either “fixed” or “growth”. Years ago I was in a fixed mindset. I was stuck in my own little bubble, more isolated/introverted, shy, close minded etc. Over the last year, I have grown into the growth mindset. That doesn’t mean I’m some crazy extrovert now (I will always love my time in solitude to recharge the batteries) but I’m a much more confident person. I always look for the bright spot in any situation and I’m on a never ending quest to learn. I know that regardless of where I am in life, there are always people smarter than I. Simply put: in a growth mindset you are living life to the highest potential…while in a fixed mindset you are letting your life run you. There is a drastic change in the way in which you see the world when you flip this mindset for the better. You show up, charged up, ready to take on the world with intention and purpose.

Here are three easy, actionable and real-world examples of how I embraced this mindset:

Constant quest for knowledge

I could count on one hand the number of books I read from the time I graduated college to the time I started my own business (5 years). That number would be 0. A year before I left my full-time job, I knew I was going to go out on my own. I started reading (or listening through Audible) as many books as I could, as well as podcasts. I wanted to lessen the learning curve as a first time business owner. I knew I’d be learning on the fly regardless but every little bit helps, right? Now fast forward 8 months and I’ve read more than 10 books. I’m on a never-ending quest for more knowledge. It has helped me to continually “check in” with my myself – never getting too high or too low. When things in the business aren’t going as planned, it helps me to relax, to put my mind at ease. I know deep down I’m putting in the work, I’m trusting the process and the rest will take care of itself. Without having an open-mind, a willingness to learn, and an ability to stay centered, I’d be one heck of a stressful mess on the daily.

Picked up a new sport

I specifically remember telling my college roommate, “dude, we are falling asleep to this on TV, OK?” The Australian Open tennis tournament was on our TV and there is something beautifully soothing to me, hearing announcers call a tennis match. I remember many years watching (and then falling asleep to) tennis on TV but never actually playing it. Something inside of me last year finally said, “Screw it! Let’s starting playing tennis for real.” I ended up finding a local group of players to meet up with on a regular basis. It has led to new friendships I never would have had otherwise. I look forward to many more years playing and hopefully, God willing, playing the sport for the rest of my life.

Peaked new interests

I rarely ever watch TV but have recently found myself fascinated by The Weather Channel – specifically their coverage of severe storms. Remember at the beginning of this post I said when you have a growth mindset you are always asking questions? Always wanting to learn more? That’s exactly what I have found myself doing here. I’m curious as heck to how much these on-air TV personalities make when three inches of snow per hour are coming down, with 30 MPH winds and temperatures in the teens (or negatives)…yet they are to stand outside, braving those elements, to provide us with up-to-the-minute reports. Then they toss it to the host in studio who has more college degrees than my family combined (not sure that’s factually correct but point being they are SUPER smart). I think I’m pulled in because while they are so smart, they make it easy to understand and science was never my strong suit. Each time I watch, I learn something new.

Those are three simple examples of how I’ve taken the growth mindset and applied it to my life. What kind of mindset do you utilize on a daily basis? How do you think you could improve it moving forward? Is there are a particular hobby, sport or interest you’ve wanted to get into (but can’t seem to pull the trigger)? I want you to take this opportunity to take a step back and audit YOU. I believe getting deep into oneself is a gift that each of us should embrace. We all have our unique likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses etc. Let me know thoughts in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter/IG (@ct_kaupp)!