There are countless books in existence that carry valuable insights. It is wise to cultivate a reading habit for your life. Besides just getting knowledge, it also improves your thought processing. You also find that over time your vocabulary will get richer. In business and finance, research and study are paramount. You can either read or listen to audiobooks. Even for your personal life in general, reading is vital. It has been a while since we had a discussion on a book review. Today let us look at the book Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success. It was written by Carol S. Dweck and is relevant for areas such as business, school, parenting, and relationships.

Be Growth-Oriented And Learning-Oriented

Reprogram Or Realign Your Mindset

Mindsets are an important part of your personality, but you can change them.”

⁓ Carol S. Dweck

The primary insight here is that it matters the mindset you adopt in how you do things. Your mindset is your way of thinking, an attitude or opinion – particularly a habitual one. It has to be structured in a certain way. At first, this might be too difficult to do. This can be so, especially when you have a contrary pre-existing mindset. You need to understand that a mindset is malleable or reprogrammable. A mindset is simply what your mind is set on. This means you can change what you set your mind on. It is doable and up to you to make the change. You consciously work on your mind by unlearning old and inconsistent thought patterns. In pursuit of success, you should be focused on growing and learning.

Process Matters Most

You should not necessarily focus on accomplishing something per se. Rather you should focus more on the process. Being able to focus on that process is what requires you to be growth-oriented and learning-oriented. You are better prepared to face challenges head-on when you major in growth. This is because challenges are often inevitable. The other interesting thing about focusing on growth is it conditions you to love what you do.

The growth mindset does allow people to love what they are doing – and to continue to love it in the face of difficulties.” ⁓ Carol S. Dweck

In your efforts to face and resolve them, you are primed to draw lessons from them. This helps you to figure out how to deal with and avoid them in the future. Strive to grow and strive to learn; that should be your mindset. When you do that, the outcome becomes automatic because you would have sorted out the fundamentals.

Regard Problems As A Pedestal To Grow

In the book, Carol S. Dweck said something profound regarding relationships. It is something that also applies to any other field of endeavour in life. Here is what she said:

Picture your ideal love relationship. Does it involve perfect compatibility – no disagreements, no compromises, no hard work? Please think again. In every relationship, issues arise. Try to see them from a growth mindset: Problems can be a vehicle for developing greater understanding and intimacy. Allow your partner to air his or her differences, listen carefully and discuss them in a patient and caring manner. You may be surprised at the closeness this creates

Here she mentioned relationships, but the principle is what is instructive. You must regard problems or challenges as pedestals for growth. The relationship example she gave can also be applied to any form of relationship in business and entrepreneurship. It can be your relationships with customers, staff, colleagues, partners, investors, suppliers, authorities, and so on. Issues are bound to happen at times, but it matters how you approach such scenarios. It is wise to approach them as opportunities to grow and learn.

You Can Learn And Master Anything

Some people simply puck up these skills in the natural course of their lives, whereas others have to work to learn them and put them together.” ⁓ Carol S. Dweck

In your pursuit of success, you must never think certain abilities are reserved for certain people. Sure enough, some people have natural-born skill sets, but that does not mean you can acquire them too. I have seen many people acquire skills through diligent study and training. Some have even gotten to a level that surpasses those with natural-born skill sets. Interestingly, most people with natural-born skill sets often require diligent study and training. This all means one thing – you can learn and master anything if you are willing. This reminds me of the 10 000 hour principle. It is said that it takes at least 10 000 hours to master any skill.

These are some of the lessons I thought to share with you from the book, Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success by Carol S. Dweck. I would encourage you to take some time to read it for yourself. Always remember you cannot experience life above your mindset. Everything you are ever going to experience is a product of your mindset. That is why you must cultivate a mindset that is growth-oriented and learning-oriented.