Why is it that some of the most talented athletes never achieve their potential, while some athletes with less ‘natural’ talent seem to achieve so much success? A large part has to do with the type of mindset an athlete adopts.
There are two types of mindsets: a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Those with a fixed mindset believe that their talents and abilities are set – in other words, they ride their talent and coast on their success. Often, these athletes do not fulfill their potential. On the other hand, athletes with a growth mindset think of talents and abilities as things they can develop; they believe that potential is achieved through effort, practice, and instruction.
Almost every truly great athlete has a growth mindset – Clara Hughes, Michael Jordan, Sydney Crosby, to name a few. These athletes do not rest on their talent; they constantly push themselves, and continuously work on improving. And, they know that making mistakes is part of the process. They’re not afraid to make them, and are willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zone in order to get better.
Research shows that athletes who adopt a growth mindset have healthier attitudes towards practice and learning, are hungry to receive feedback, have a better ability to deal with setbacks, and perform better over time. Athletes with a fixed mindset are never willing to take risks. They never want to admit they’ve made a mistake – they think it makes them look bad and takes away from their success. In the long run, the fixed-mindset athlete stops growing and doesn’t improve once they’ve maxed out their talent.
Here are 3 guidelines to help you develop a growth mindset:
- Learn, learn, learn – Look for challenges in any situation. You may not get it right the first time, but be ok with being uncomfortable; challenge is the only way to improve. Yes, care about winning, but care first and foremost about learning.
- Work with passion and dedication – Place high value on effort. Be ready to work hard; even if you have tons of talent, work hard to get better. We improve through struggle, sweat, and practice. Effort is what ignites ability and causes it to grow over time.
- Embrace your mistakes – Confront your deficiencies. A failure or a mistake is simply an opportunity to learn, grow, and get better. Do not fear mistakes; they happen to everyone. Be willing to take chances and risks. Every human that has achieved greatness has stumbled first.
[templatic_contentbox type=”author” title=”Natascha Wesch, PhD”] Dr. Natascha Wesch is a Mental Performance Consultant Counsellor & Coach in private practice who works with athletes, coaches, and teams of all levels and sport backgrounds. To learn more and to contact her, visit her website: www.elitemindperformance.com [/templatic_contentbox]
Article adapted from Mindset: Developing Talent through a growth mindset, by Dr. Carol Dweck, Stanford University.
