How do you think about yourself when performing? Whether that be on the athletic field, in the operating room, giving a presentation in front of your superiors, or right before taking an important exam.
What are you thinking about? Are you excited for the opportunity to perform your best and show your skills and knowledge? Or are you thinking about previous mistakes, comparing your weaknesses to others strengths, and putting yourself down before your performance?
In other words, what is your Mindset like before a big event? In terms of performance, mindset refers to the underlying beliefs and attitudes that influence how individuals approach tasks, challenges, and goals. In a performance context, mindset influences how individuals set goals, deal with failure, and sustain their motivation.
Dr. Carol Dweck, a psychologist from Stanford University, has conducted extensive research on mindsets and their impact on performance across many domains. Through her research, she has coined the terms Growth and Fixed mindset. So, what are Growth and Fixed mindsets and how can mindset impact performance?
Fixed Mindset
A Fixed mindset refers to a belief that abilities and intelligence are static and unchangeable. For example, a student might think “I’m just not good at math, there’s nothing I can do to change that.” With this mindset, they might avoid seeking help from the teacher or peers because they believe it’s pointless. In addition, they may possibly become discouraged and less likely to put effort into studying for future math tests, and may begin to compare themselves negatively to classmates who did well, feeling threatened by their success and thinking, “they’re naturally smart at math, unlike me.” As you can see, individuals with a fixed mindset may avoid challenges, give up easily when faced with obstacles, and feel threatened by the success of others. They may also be more likely to hide their deficiencies and avoid effort since they believe effort implies a lack of talent.
Growth Mindset
A Growth mindset refers to a belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning and persistence. An example of Growth mindset in action is a runner who finishes last in a race. The runner thinks “I didn’t perform well today, but I can improve with more practice and better training strategies.” They seek feedback from their coach to understand what went wrong and what can be improved. The runner might analyze their performance, identify areas for improvement, and set specific goals to work on their speed and endurance. Lastly, they view the success of other runners as inspiration and motivation, thinking, “if they can achieve great results, I can too with hard work and dedication.” As you can see, individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as a path to mastery, and learn from criticism. They tend to achieve higher levels of performance over time as they continually seek to improve.
How to develop a Growth Mindset
Given the direct correlation the mindset can have on seemingly any performance outcome, it would be ideal for anyone to practice developing a Growth mindset; however, it should be noted that developing a growth mindset will take sustained effort and practice in order to see the benefits of doing so. Similar to how developing a new skill in athletics takes time and practice, the same is true for any of the mental skills that are shared here at The Mental Barbell. The more frequently these skills are practiced, the more effective and efficient they will become during performances.
Awareness
The first step in developing a Growth mindset is developing a better awareness of your thoughts and beliefs. In many cases individuals will have developed what we would refer to as automatic response to certain stimuli or situations. You will begin to recognize how your thoughts and beliefs arise in performance situations. Are your thoughts self-limiting? Do they assume
that your abilities and intelligence are static and unchangeable? If so, that is OK! You have taken the first step in developing a growth mindset. We cannot change what we are not aware of. So, what do we do after we have become aware of these self-limiting mindset, beliefs, and thought patterns? I will discuss two ways in which we can improve our mindset to maximize performance
Self-talk
How we communicate with ourselves will not only directly impact our performance but will have an effect on our beliefs and perception. Self-talk is important for a growth mindset because it directly influences how we perceive challenges, setbacks, and our own abilities. The goal is to reframe Fixed mindset thinking to Growth mindset thinking, which involves shifting the focus from innate ability to effort, learning, and improvement. Here are some examples:
Example1:
Fixed Mindset: “I can’t hit the ball well; I’m just not a natural.”
Growth Mindset: “With more practice and feedback, I can improve my batting skills.”
Example 2
Fixed Mindset: “I’m not strong enough to compete at this level.”
Growth Mindset: “I can build my strength through dedicated workouts and persistence.”
Example 3
Fixed Mindset: “I’ll never be able to master this technique.”
Growth Mindset: “Mastering this technique will take time and effort, but I can get better with practice.”
Reframing these thoughts can help focus on improvement and resilience rather than feeling limited by perceived inherent abilities.
Internal Locus of Control
An internal locus of control refers to the belief that one has control over their own life and the outcomes of their actions. People with an internal locus of control believe that their efforts, decisions, and behaviors directly influence the results they achieve.
To cultivate both an internal locus of control and a growth mindset:
- Set Realistic Goals: Break down large goals into manageable steps and focus on the effort and strategies needed to achieve them.
- Reflect on Experiences: Analyze successes and failures to understand the role of effort, strategies, and choices.
- Embrace Challenges: Approach new and difficult tasks with a positive attitude, seeing them as opportunities to learn.
- Seek Feedback: Use constructive criticism to guide improvement, rather than taking it personally.
- Celebrate Effort and Progress: Acknowledge the hard work and progress made, not just the end results.
Combining an internal locus of control with a growth mindset can lead to a more empowered, resilient, and proactive approach to enhancing one’s performance.
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