There’s a formula for success. All you need to do is copy people who have it figured out. Their methods are proven to work. You can replicate their methods and replicate their success. This post starts with replicating the growth mindset for success.
A growth mindset embraces challenges as learning experiences. Having the right mindset can make the difference between success and giving up. Mindset is important for success in any endeavor, whether it’s health, self, or wealth related or something else entirely.
There are three components of a growth mindset:
- Perception of control
- Resilience
- Taking action
This post explains how each component provides a foundation for a growth mindset. The main takeaway is that success is replicable. Adopt the mindsets, strategies, and actions of those you admire to become more like them.
Above all, your mind thrives off being right. Accordingly, it is constantly working to prove yourself right. So when Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right,” he was right.
Perception of Control
If you got a promotion at work, was it because you are the most qualified for the position or because the previous person retired? If you got into a minor fender bender was it because you weren’t paying attention to the road or because the car in front of you braked too quickly?
In psychology, there’s a principle called the self-serving bias. It is in our nature to attribute our successes to our actions and blame our failures on factors outside our control. However, a major limitation of this bias is that we don’t fully embrace failures as learning opportunities.
Two Perceptions of Control
Taylor believes her actions directly cause her results. While she recognizes some situations are entirely out of her control, she focuses on the control she does have.
Emily believes there are forces greater than her own. She believes in fate and if something is supposed to happen it will. She believes fate will outweigh any of her own actions.
Do your perceptions align more with Taylor or Emily?
If you align more with Emily, then you likely have an external locus of control. That means you tend to perceive external forces to cause outcomes instead of your own actions. For example, if you failed an exam, you would likely blame the test. Maybe it was too difficult or you didn’t have enough time. It would be challenging for you to identify things you could have done to prepare better. You may take the test again to achieve similar results or you may decide you just weren’t meant to pass the exam.
If you align more with Taylor, then you have an internal locus of control. That means you believe your own actions dictate the results you get. For example, if you failed an exam, you would determine how your own actions contributed to your outcome. You may realize you didn’t study enough or you studied the wrong concepts. If you were to retake the test, you would likely adjust your behavior for the next exam to succeed.
Shifting Your Mindset For Success
Regardless of your natural tendency toward one mindset or the other, you can influence your outcomes by focusing on things you can control. Recognize what role the specific situation played in the outcomes, but don’t find excuses! Look for opportunities to achieve the results you want instead.
If you want to achieve your goals, you must focus on the things within your control and take accountability for your actions.
Resilience
Someone with a growth mindset perceives challenges and setbacks as learning opportunities. They use them as obstacles to propel them forward. They use the failures as motivation to do it differently and better next time. Everyone who has succeeded shares one characteristic in common: they didn’t give up.
Every challenge that has ever come my way has given me the strength to be where I am today. I know that regardless of what happens around me, I will figure out a way to overcome obstacles.
Taking Action
If you are ready to embrace failures as learning opportunities, you are ready to go for it! You can prepare all you want, but the best way to learn is by doing. You will make mistakes, and that’s okay! What is important is that you actively reflect on your actions and find ways to become better every step of the way.
Avoid perfection. Striving for perfection reaches a point of diminishing returns. Learn to understand when good is good enough. There’s always something you could do to make something better. If you wait to take action until you reach perfection, you will never get there.
So many successful people weren’t the “best” when they started. They were the ones with a dedication to the vision. They were the ones who were willing to put themselves out there and take appropriate risks. There’s no external metric that dictates whether you can or cannot be successful.
Conclusion
Success is replicable and it all starts with adopting the right mindset for success. Believe you can control your outcomes and take accountability for your actions. You may fail, but you learn the most through failures. By overcoming your obstacles, you will gain the strength you need in the future.
What is one thing you will do today to adopt a mindset for success and get yourself one step closer to your goals?
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