Nothing can hold you down with a Growth Mindset

Successful individuals all tend to have one thing in common, grit. If you aren’t familiar with what grit really means, then I’d strongly recommend watching Angela Duckworth’s TED Talk on the subject. According to Duckworth: “Grit, which is a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal, is the hallmark of high achievers in every domain.” She proves this by testing it on not only the most successful people but also on the toughest people on the planet, Green Berets and Navy Seals. It’s time to look at any setback in the eye and not let it hold you down!

But where does a growth mindset come in?

Grit can exist on its own, but without a growth mindset, (like a bird scared to fly), it will never reach its full potential (we still love you penguins, ostriches, emus, and other flightless birds). Cindy Nebel connects the two very well, “Grit is related to mindset in that if one believes that failures are due to their fixed traits, there is no reason to try again. Conversely, individuals with growth mindsets are more likely to be resilient and have more grit.” Grit combined with the power of a growth mindset led to some of the greatest people and achievements of all time: Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team, Walt Disney being fired from a newspaper for lacking imagination, and Edison creating the lightbulb after supposedly failing 10,000 times!

Growth Mindset, COVID-19, and You!

While we are all dealing with a global pandemic, that doesn’t mean that we should hide under a rock so to speak. Yes, everyone should definitely be taking safety measures to ensure they and their families are staying healthy, but don’t let this stop you from growing. Instead, take this opportunity to look inward and use the time to work on a skill or hobby you haven’t been able to tackle. Here’s a list of 10 things you could work on from the comfort of your own home.

1. Learn a new language – With websites like Babbel, Duolingo, and Rosetta Stone, you could spend this time becoming fluent and then take a trip when travel becomes safe again. FastCompany has some great FREE options as well.

2. Start playing an instrument – Amazon has Harmonicas for as low as $12 and I’m pretty sure just about anyone can learn to play!

3. Sculpt that body – No gym, no problem…there are many FREE exercise options available

4. Cook – We all have kitchens and we all need to eat so why not try out some new recipes, get creative, and share them with friends on Instagram.

5. Professional Development – Whether it’s your LinkedIn profile that hasn’t been updated in years, a portfolio website that needs a facelift or you want to learn a new skill you will be ahead of the curve if you begin working on those now when it comes time to return to work. LinkedIn is providing FREE learning courses to help you navigate COVID19

6. Get artsy – Craft stores might be closed making painting and pottery difficult, but you could begin diving into graphic design to build your own personal logo through the power of your computer.

7. Write – Blogging, poetry, and novel writing isn’t just for those with a Shakespearean talent. Having quality writing skills translates to almost all industries and can be quite therapeutic.

8. Read – Leaders like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and Elon Musk attribute a good portion of their success to reading so why not dive into a new book?

9. Start a new business – This one might be a bit daunting but if you’ve thought about selling things online, starting a podcast, or building a YouTube series, now is the time!

10. Connections –  As people we shouldn’t stop staying in touch; in fact, this is a great opportunity to reach out to that friend or family member that lives across the country. For example,  Indeed shares several strategies to stay connected.

We at LearningFuze know that this can be a scary time, but it doesn’t have to hold you down. Watching Netflix, the news or just sleeping are what most people will do. Instead, take this opportunity to keep moving forward and tap into that growth mindset that we are all born with. We all possess a growth mindset but too few of us tap into it.