The difference between the best and the rest often comes down to mindset. How we think and view challenges can propel us to great heights or hold us back. Often, it’s not talent or opportunity that separates the greats from the rest – it’s their thinking. The best adopt a growth mindset, believe in themselves, and stay focused on continual improvement. The rest tend to have a fixed mindset, doubt themselves, and get distracted from their goals. Mindset alone doesn’t guarantee results, but it creates the mental framework for success.
Characteristics of a “Best” Mindset
Believe in Growth Over Fixed Ability
The best believe abilities and intelligence can be developed, not that they are fixed at birth. This growth mindset helps them embrace challenges, learn from failures, and persist through difficulties. Their passion for growth enables achievement. Those with a fixed mindset believe abilities cannot change much. This leads them to avoid challenges, lose heart after setbacks, and plateau early.
Have Learning Goals Over Outcome Goals
The best focus on learning goals over outcome goals. Learning goals are about mastering skills and self-improvement, while outcome goals focus on rankings and beating others. Learning goals allow one to take risks and make progress. Outcome goals encourage playing it safe. The journey is rewarding for those with learning goals. Outcome goals make life about the destination.
Are Passionate About Their Pursuits
The best absolutely love what they do. Their work aligns with their interests and values. Passion fuels their drive and gets them through tough times. Loving the process, not just the outcome, brings joy and keeps them motivated. The rest just pursue positions for status or money. Without passion, work is a chore and quick progress is unlikely.
Are Motivated Intrinsically Over Extrinsically
The best are driven by intrinsic rewards like purpose, autonomy, mastery and helping others. Extrinsic motivation comes from outside approval, fame, or money. Intrinsic motivation is aligned with one’s values and persists through challenges. Extrinsic motivation depends on external validation, which is unstable. Intrinsic drive helps the best stay focused when no one is watching.
A Growth Mindset Develops the Best
The “best mindset” stems from a growth mindset. The ideas behind a growth mindset include:
- Abilities are developed, not predetermined.
- Setbacks and effort help you improve.
- Everyone can change and grow through application and experience.
This contrasts with a fixed mindset of predetermined strengths, avoiding challenges, and loss of hope after failures.
Here is a comparison of fixed vs growth mindset:
| Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
|---|---|
| Avoids challenges | Embraces challenges |
| Gives up after setbacks | Persists through setbacks |
| Plateaus early | Develops over time |
| Fears failure | Learns from failure |
| Hides weaknesses | Works to improve weaknesses |
The growth mindset creates a love of learning and resilience that enables achievement of one’s full potential.
Instilling a “Best” Mindset
Praise Effort Over Inherent Talent
Parents and teachers should praise children’s effort over inherent talent. For example, “You worked hard to learn that skill” versus “You are so smart.” This reinforces that dedication pays off, not just innate ability. Children learn to value challenging themselves, not just coasting on raw talent.
Teach That Brains Are Malleable
Highlight how brains create new neural pathways through practice. Show how musicians’ brains change with practicing their instrument. Make the science behind neuroplasticity accessible. This demonstrates intelligence and talent are not fixed. The brain is like a muscle that grows stronger through exercise.
Encourage a Love of Learning
Spark curiosity in topics children find fascinating. Let them ask questions and study subjects they love. Don’t just focus on standardized tests and prescribed curriculums. Nurture passion by allowing discovery through play and freedom to explore interests. This intrinsic motivation will drive them much further.
Set Learning Goals Over Performance Goals
Help children set goals based on effort, improvement, and mastering new skills. Avoid goals that depend on outperforming peers. Learning goals foster cooperation and self-comparison. Performance goals pit children against each other. Measuring progress through learning is more motivating long-term.
Allow Risk Taking and Struggle
Let children try tough tasks without fear of failure. Don’t rescue them at the first sign of struggle. Overcoming challenges builds resilience and confidence. Mistakes help brain development. Easy success achieved through adult intervention teaches dependence. Provide support, but let children solve problems.
Applying the Best Mindset
While mindset alone isn’t everything, it establishes the mental framework to reach your potential. Try applying these “best mindset” principles:
– Believe you can always improve with effort. You have no predetermined limits.
– Make learning enjoyable. Focus on growth, not rankings or trophies.
– Develop true passion for your work. Align it with your interests and values.
– Stay intrinsically motivated. Keep in mind your purpose and autonomy.
– View challenges as opportunities, not threats. Embrace struggling against difficult tasks.
– Rebound quickly from setbacks. Failures provide lessons to fuel growth.
– Be comfortable showing weaknesses. Use them as areas for improvement.
With the right mindset, you are freer to achieve your personal best, not limited by presumed constraints. Your full abilities have yet to be unlocked. Consistent effort focused on growth will take you beyond what you imagined possible.
Conclusion
The “best” mindset is rooted in growth over fixed abilities, learning over outcome goals, intrinsic over extrinsic motivation, and resilience in the face of challenge and failure. Instilling this mindset from an early age shapes one’s attitude toward learning and achievement throughout life. While talent differs, a growth mindset allows virtually anyone to maximize their potential through dedication and self-improvement. Mindset alone does not determine success, but it establishes the foundation. Believing in the incredible possibilities of human potential, being fascinated by the journey, and staying committed to lifelong growth are hallmarks of the greats across all fields. With the best mindset, you are limited only by the boundaries of your imagination.