The Power of Beliefs in Chasing Your Potential

Never stop learning. It’s a phrase that has become almost common place from advice content on social media. But with so many of us talking the talk of ongoing learning, how many will actually put it into practice?

I have often wondered why it is that some people seem to reach their full potential more readily than others. And specifically, why was it that some people that I’ve been lucky enough to coach have gone on to do well – while others fell short. What were the factors that I was missing?

These are among the questions I’ve asked myself recently while reflecting on relative successes and failures as a team leader and coach over the past 15 years. You may have had similar experiences yourself or witnessed someone else have a great start, only to fade later when the going got tough.

In my experience this latter scenario tends to be those who started impressively in their chosen endeavour – and for whom many had high hopes. Yet after some setbacks, they typically started to withdraw, becoming more negative – and in turn becoming a challenge to lead and communicate with. In the most extreme cases, the ultimate result was poor performance or failure.

When reflecting on these people’s struggles, it made me question what part I played. In many instances, did I fail to understand them?

Certainly, it was some of those things – after all, you always seek to improve. Over time, I started looking for answers to try to understand what was going on – particularly so that I could improve as a coach.

One of the answers that I found proved to be straight forward and a game changer. Through an external coach that my company employs, I was introduced to a book by Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.

It’s called Mindset, and it has been a game changer for both me and my business. While I’m sure many of you have heard of it, if you have aspirations to really “keep on learning”, then I highly recommend that you read and utilise it.

Based on years of research, Dweck's premise is surprisingly simple. When considering any given aspect of oneself, people consciously or subconsciously approach tasks with deep-seated beliefs. And in turn, these simple beliefs can have profound consequences for our life’s outcomes.

Put simply, people with a fixed mindset believe that you’ve either got it or you haven’t. Whereas those with a growth mindset believe that whatever the skill or task, you can improve with practice.

Be it strategy, numeracy, linguistic skills, sporting ability or artistic endeavour, in whatever personal facet you care to choose, people tend to display one of these two beliefs. And the one you bring to a task, can have far reaching consequences.

People with a fixed mindset tend to deal with a failure by looking to rebuild their damaged self-esteem. This often means avoiding the problem – or at worst, even running from it.

Those with a growth mindset approach failure by asking: “what can I learn, and then how can I improve?” They then set about practicing harder in order to overcome the obstacle.

Growth mindset is not a silver bullet – you need focus on hard work to back it up. But as a learned behaviour, it vastly increases the likelihood of success and your ability to overcome setbacks.

For anyone looking to take on challenges and achieve their goals, and for those looking to develop themselves as leaders, I strongly recommend this book and its approach. Then ask yourself or your team: “what have we been fixed on – and what have I approached with growth in mindset?” Whatever the answer, seek lessons and take actions to improve.

The good news for coach and team alike is that even the most fixed of mindsets can be changed. And over time, tackling challenges in this way will lead to more positive results.

Should you take further interest in this topic, please connect with Rupert on LinkedIn, If you are in need of hiring or applying for a new job, please contact us.