People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static – either you’re good at something or you’re not.
Those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be improved through effort, learning and persistence.
When it comes to your health and fitness, this distinction isn’t just academic – it’s the difference between long-term success and perpetual frustration.
It’s entirely possible to have a growth mindset in one area of your life and a fixed mindset in another.
Over the years we’ve seen hundreds of people successful in the business world expect immediate results in the gym. They view their struggles as personal failures rather than learning opportunities.
Shift Your Thinking With These Two Words
We’ve all had that feeling of frustration when we think to ourselves “I can’t do that”.
In this video, Carol Dweck explains how two words can completely shift your thinking.
Wondering what those two words are?
Not yet.
In the gym, Pull-Ups are a fantastic example of this.
Pull-Ups are often one of the most difficult exercises for someone to perform.
Achieving a body weight pull-up may require months and sometimes years of training.
There is a clear path to get there…it just takes a significant amount of work and focus.
Instead of saying “I can’t do a pull-up“…
A simple addition helps you rephrase your thinking to “I can’t do a pull-up…yet!”
Praise Effort, Not Talent
Research shows that praising children for their hard work, perseverance, and their focus, they learn resilience and seek challenges.
When we fall into the trap of praising children for their talent or their intelligence, it makes them vulnerable.
Growth vs. Fixed Mindset
If you’re someone like me that has struggled with a fixed mindset, I have great news!
When asked if you have a growth mindset, you can simply respond with “not yet”.
With a little practice, you can completely shift your thought processes.
When you surround yourself with a community of people that embrace a growth mindset, you have really set the stage for personal and professional growth.
The Compound Effect
The beautiful thing about developing a growth mindset in one area of your life is that this thinking has the capacity to bleed into everything else.
When you learn that additional reps of an exercise make you stronger, this opens the door to improving your nutrition and recovery.
Every meal becomes another rep for improving your nutrition.
Your evening ritual becomes another rep towards optimizing your recovery.
And when you encounter those inevitable struggles?
