Why Changing Your Mindset Can Help

Types of Mindsets

Loosely defined, a mindset is a mix of your beliefs, perspectives, philosophies, and attitudes about or towards something. When talking about mindset, it can refer to the way you think about something specific, for example, your mindset about making money, or it can be a more general description of the way you think about things, for example, an abundance mindset, which would filter down to your mindset about making money.. When people talk about types of mindsets it’s generally referring to the more general descriptor. For example, some mindsets that appear in popular self-improvement culture include:

• Abundance vs. Scarcity
• Growth vs. Fixed
• Positive vs. Negative
• Employee vs. Entrepreneur

Why is having certain kinds of mindsets more beneficial?

“It’s not intelligence, talent, or education that sets successful people apart. It’s their mindset, or the way that they approach life’s challenges.”  – Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

So much of our reality is defined by the thoughts we think all day, every day. Our mindset determines our expectations which determines how we make decisions. Our thoughts influence our feelings, habits, and behaviours, and we can powerfully choose certain ideas over others to help improve our daily lives.

A Fixed Mindset often means resistance to growth and progress. A person might believe that the world is precisely the way it is and that they are powerless to change it. Or they are “fixed” in how they see themselves and resist transformation. They might avoid the unpleasant feelings through numbing activities and spend much of life unhappy and zoned out because subconsciously it feels safer than doing the belief work to change.

What does a mindset coach do?

A mindset coach uses a framework or tools to help you work through any mindsets that keep you stuck. For example, if you’ve uttered, “There are no good jobs right now,” you might have a Fixed or Scarcity Mindset. A mindset coach will help you figure out how your thoughts are working for you or against you and help you stop the self-sabotage and get on your own team.