The similarities, differences, and how they impact your success in life.
Do you believe your abilities, talents and intelligence are innate- that we are born with specific personal strengths which cannot be controlled, changed or evolved? Or, do you believe that our abilities and talents are ever-changing, able to grow and strengthen with further learning, awareness and lived experience? If these beliefs are challenged in any way, how do you react? Is it easy for you to examine, redirect and carry on, or do you struggle to accept another reality apart from the one you had placed as the pillar for all others?
How you answered the above questions depends on one thing: your mindset. More specifically, the type of mindset you have; fixed or growth. With a fixed mindset, we feel that our abilities and talents are inborn and cannot be increased or altered. With a growth mindset, we believe our skills and intelligence can increase, evolve and change.
The beliefs that control and navigate how we handle situations, and the way we decide to act are all determined by our fixed or growth mindset- they assist us with seeking out opportunities, and the beliefs we have that assure us we can take full advantage of that opportunity. In the same breath, our beliefs can also hinder our chances of success when presented with opportunities we feel we are not worthy of receiving/don’t have the abilities to undertake something challenging or new. In essence, our mindset, or our beliefs, establish how well we take setbacks, accept growth, and how successful we are.
In contrast, mindfulness acts as the barometer for the present. It is the ability to be in the now, not thinking about the past, or playing out hypothetical future scenarios in our heads. Mindfulness helps us be in the moment, and objectively sift through emotions and thoughts, so as not to experience overwhelm or be overly reactive. When practised consciously, mindfulness acts as a practical life skill, and a reminder to live in the moment. Much like our mindsets, mindfulness is something we already possess. We only have to remember to access it and put it into practice. Intentional mindfulness practice allows us to:
Be aware: To focus our attention on the present moment, and the inner automated feelings and processes we experience. With mindfulness, we learn to objectively observe these emotions and feelings, rather than always act on them.
Accept what is: Our streams of thought don’t control us, our reactions to them do. When we practice mindfulness, we observe, accept and release with far more ease, which is to say, we don’t dwell on things- they are observed, processed, then let go.
We understand that mindsets and mindfulness can be shaped, though a fixed mindset may be harder to bend. We also understand that one similarity between the two is that we already possess both. The differences are also apparent; mindset refers to our beliefs about our abilities and talents, and whether they are innate, or can be developed over time. Mindfulness, on the other hand, focusses on the present, and how we sift through felt emotions and decide how to react to them.
If we understand these two acts, how then can they play a part in our successes in life? For a start, having a positive mindset about your abilities, and embracing that they can be developed/improved, allows us to grow. It also arms us with the emotional maturity to be accepting of a situation that doesn’t match our preconceived beliefs. With mindfulness, we’re able to rationally observe our own emotions and feelings, giving way to more intentional responses, and doing away with knee-jerk reactions. And just as importantly, it reminds us to stay in the present, and not look too far back, or too far forward.
Giving ourselves space to practice with trial and error these two actions, such as taking steps to lean into more of a growth mindset, or consciously taking action to stay in the moment, will vastly assist us with achieving success. A growth mindset and mindfulness also assist in freeing us from negative thoughts, unconscious biases, and pent up emotions.
References:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mindfulness
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/seeing-what-others-dont/201605/mindsets
https://katrinamurphycoaching.com/mindset-vs-mindfulness/
https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/