The Fixed Mindset
The one consistent thread that runs through individuals at the top of their game, whether in sports or business, is their mindset.
As ex-footballers, we spent hours, days, weeks, months, and years on the training ground or in the gym honing our tactical and physical skills. The mental side was left to chance; players navigated their way through, some successfully and a huge majority unsuccessfully.
I looked back to when I was 16 and starting at Aston Villa as an apprentice, along with ten other bright-eyed young men. When we started, the ‘best’ three or four players were not the best three or four players after one year. Why? Of those ten players, I went on to play for England, and another couple of players had careers at a decent but not top level, and the rest were nowhere. In football, that’s a terrific year!
Was the difference in physical attributes? Nope, as I was one of the smallest. Was it in their so-called natural talent? Nope, one of the most gifted players never progressed and had a career. Was it the tactical side, even though we all got the same coaching and training? Was it age, experience, luck….?
Whereas I could make a case, to a more or lesser extent, for a lot of the items above, there is one trait which overrides them all – it is MINDSET
Stanford University Professor of Psychology Dr Carol Dweck published a concept of Fixed and Growth mindsets. In varying degrees, these traits significantly impacted my group of 16-year-old hopefuls.
Fixed Mindset:
- The belief that abilities, natural talent and intelligence are static traits
- Tendency to avoid challenges to avoid failure
- Views extra effort as fruitless or a sign of weakness
- Ignores useful feedback
- Feels threatened by others’ success
- Blame others, looking outwards at the reason for non-success
These mindsets can significantly impact how people approach learning, obstacles, and personal development.
Take Michael Jordan – what many people may not know is that he was initially cut from his high school basketball team. In his autobiography, Jordan recalls feeling devastated by the rejection and doubting his own abilities. However, he also credits this experience as the catalyst for his drive to become the best player he could be.
While Jordan ultimately developed a growth mindset and achieved unparalleled success, his initial reaction to failure demonstrates a fixed mindset. He viewed his lack of success as evidence of his limited abilities rather than an opportunity for growth and improvement.
Understanding and recognising these traits is the first step – but such a significant one! The last thing to say is that it’s not black and white; we all veer from the top to the bottom of any particular spectrum, but the more “Growth” mindset individuals understand we can work on and improve our MINDSET.
Spot any of these traits in you or your team members?
Next up, the GROWTH mindset concept….
#Mindset #Teambuilding #PersonalGrowth #TeamExcellence #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformanceTeams