CHALLENGES are inevitable, RISKS are inevitable, CHANGES are inevitable. It is how you respond to the inevitable that determines your mindset and ultimately your ability to move forward. I use the words "move forward," because words like success and achievement hold this notion of a fixed finish line. In reality, your mindset should be anything but fixed. The growth mindset is the process of igniting your drive to seek out experiences from which you can grow and enjoy.

The first step is being aware of your mindset: Do you find yourself afraid of performance for fear of loss or embarrassment? Do you find yourself focused solely on the outcome of opportunities? Do you find yourself doing the same things to maintain the status quo? Does everything you do in life need to have a specific purpose? Do you find yourself only accepting the best of yourself? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have slipped into a FIXED mindset. That is okay, you don't have to stay fixed. There are plenty of ways to shift into a growth mindset.

1. Face the Challenge

Individuals with a fixed mindset are all about establishing that they are better than others until they face a challenge. When confronted with a challenge, people with a fixed mindset will back down. They find this challenge as a threat to their ego. What will happen to them if they fall to someone they have belittled or made powerless. Often excuses are made to remove themselves from the situation and protect their ego in fear of failure. Meanwhile, individuals with a growth mindset will approach challenges with an open mind, ready to take note of potential improvements. Growth mindset individuals take stock of the skills they have and what skills they can gain.

2. There is No Such Thing as PERFECTION

For those high achievers out there who expect the best from themselves at all times, this tip is for you. You can never do your best; you can only do your best at that given moment. There WILL always be room for improvement, and that is not a bad thing. If you are doing things you enjoy, then you will always have the opportunity to continue learning and growing.

3. Try New Things

Ever wonder why you hear this one a lot? One of the reasons is because it holds true. If you are not going out there trying new things, and having new experiences, how are you allowing yourself to grow? People often shy away from trying things that may scare them, or that are against their current routines. A growth mindset says re-read Tip 1 and allow yourself to become a multi-dimensional person with many abilities. The best reason to try something new: because you want to! Don’t let fear or routine hold you back!

4. Value Learning Above Early Achievement

Believe it or not, abilities can be developed. The development comes with placing value on learning over early achievement. Instead of tallying times you won or finished on top, it is important to keep the focus on making yourself better. A person with a growth mindset will surround themselves with individuals who have an answer to the question: What can I master next? These individuals with a growth mindset are not afraid and even welcome constructive feedback needed to reach their goals.

5. Forget the Outcome

Yes, I said forget it. Forget the win, the loss, the made it, the didn't make it, the success, the failure. Maybe this seems preachy to you, but adjust your mindset and remember that those terms have no finality to them unless you let them. Read a story about an underdog: the story starts with someone who appeared talentless and finishes with someone who focused on their growth and took it to the next level. Just because you won today, doesn't mean you will win tomorrow. Just because you failed today, doesn't mean you will fail tomorrow. Rather than focusing on the finality of the outcome, focus on furthering your development and enjoyment.

The greatest challenge when adopting the growth mindset over the fixed mindset is making the choice to change, leaving your comfort zone behind to embrace the possibilities to come.