What type of Mindset do you have? Answer these questions by stating whether you mostly agree or mostly disagree:

You’re either born with athletic ability or you’re not, and you don’t have very much control over changing that.
You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are.
No matter how athletic you are, with practice you can learn any sport.
Intelligence is something that’s developed through learning, the more you learn the more intelligent you become.

If you identify more with questions 1 and 2 you have what’s called a ‘fixed mindset’. Questions 3 and 4 highlight the thoughts of someone with a ‘growth mindset’.

People with fixed mindsets believe they’re stuck with the hand they were dealt by genetics. People with growth mindsets believe anything can be changed with some effort, practice, and consistency.

The fixed mindset makes you concerned with how you’ll be judged; the growth mindset makes you concerned with improving.

For example, let’s say you want to become more fit so you sign up for a CrossFit class. A few minutes into class the coach calls you to the front of the room and has you demonstrate some movements. Someone with a fixed mindset feels the burning eyes of the rest of the class, they feel the coach evaluating every inch their body move. They think to themselves “Why am I here? I can’t do these movements. I’m not a flexible person, I’ll never be able to get in that position”!

Someone with a growth mindset gets excited to be in front of the room. Why? Because you’re a novice, you’re there to learn. Getting some one on one time with the coach is EXACTLY why you’re there.

Next time a challenge comes your way will you be the type of person that says “I can’t do that, I’m no good at X”, OR will you think “I have no idea how to do this, but I’m damn sure going to figure it out!”?