Mindset: The Invisible Scripts That Shape Your Life

A mindset is an attitude or way of thinking that predisposes how a person interprets and responds to situations. Mindsets are often unconscious in that we have internalised a way of seeing and interacting with the world, like a habit, so we are no longer aware that this is driving our choices and behaviours. It can be almost like a script that we live our lives by. Do you know what mindset drives your strategies and behaviours in life?

One great example of contrasting mindsets is provided by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck.  In her book Mindset, Dr. Dweck focuses on the difference between a growth and a fixed mindset.  Those with a fixed mindset tend to believe that intelligence and abilities are constant and unchangeable.  Such people believe one either has a talent for something or they do not. The growth mindset, by contrast, is based on a belief that abilities can be developed through learning, consistent practice and persistence.  Research indicates that those with a growth mindset are more inclined to learn from failures and tend to be more successful than those with a fixed mindset. 

Mindsets are not limited to growth or fixed variety.  Award-winning neuroscientist Dr Anne-Laure Le Cunff has defined 3 other mindsets that lead to negative strategies in life: cynical, escapist and perfectionist. A lack of curiosity and loss of ambition are hallmarks of a cynical mindset. The escapist mindset leads people to do anything they can to escape their responsibilities.  Finally, the perfectionist mindset causes people to escape uncertainty through work.  Doing something is better than doing nothing even if what you are doing is ineffective or unnecessary.  

Do you feel like trying is meaningless or are you constantly in survival mode? Do you find yourself obsessing over negative news and negatively judging others or the world around you? These are signs of a cynical mindset. Are distractions your primary way to deal with stress or negative feelings? Do you find yourself using activities like consuming endless amounts of media, shopping to feel better, or dreaming about your future without doing anything about it?  You could be operating on an escapist mindset. Do you fill your time with excessive amounts of work or are you obsessed with productivity?  If all your decisions are driven solely but the lofty goals that you have set for yourself a perfectionist mindset may be active in you. 

Do you recognise any of the above behaviours in your life?  The solution that Dr. Le Cunff recommends is to cultivate an experimental mindset.  At the core of this mindset are curiosity and ambition.  Uncertainty becomes an opportunity to explore, learn and grow.  Instead of creating a strict plan to reach long-term goals, short-term objectives and trial through iterations can lead to unexpected positive outcomes.  This seems to combine two concepts that I am a big believer in: flow and systems thinking. To achieve flow you engage in things that interest you in a way that is both playful and challenging.  In systems thinking you approach solving complex problems by experimentation to better understand the adjustments you can make to get closer to desired outcomes.  

If you have recognised a negative mindset in what you have read so far, remember these are not set personality traits.  These are habits and strategies that can be changed. As always, awareness allows change. Cultivating a supportive mindset goes hand in hand with creating a personal philosophy that supports your success and happiness.  It will help you live with intention and awareness so that your life is authentic and in line with your core values.