How do you foster a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards your career?

Do you want to thrive in your career, no matter what challenges or changes you face? If so, you need to cultivate a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards your work. These are essential skills for career management, as they help you learn from feedback, overcome setbacks, and embrace new opportunities. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to foster a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards your career.

1 What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and talents can be developed through effort, practice, and learning. It contrasts with a fixed mindset, which is the belief that your abilities and talents are innate and fixed. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow, while people with a fixed mindset see challenges as threats to their self-esteem. A growth mindset can help you improve your performance, motivation, and resilience in your career.

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Irene Chung

Leadership Coach & Startup Advisor
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One quick way to measure your growth mindset is to look back on the last 1-1.5 years and answer the following: - What are you proud of achieving? Jot down a quick list. - How have you grown in this time? Celebrate these achievements. Then look forward: - Where do you wish to be in 1 year? 6 months? 3 months? 1 month?

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2 How to develop a growth mindset?

One way to develop a growth mindset is to adopt a learner's attitude. This means being curious, open-minded, and willing to try new things. It also means seeking feedback, accepting criticism, and learning from mistakes. Instead of avoiding or denying your weaknesses, acknowledge them and work on them. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on your own progress and goals. And instead of saying "I can't do this", say "I can't do this yet".

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Irene Chung

Leadership Coach & Startup Advisor
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Make sure that your goals are both measurable and doable. 📐MEASURABLE? Instead of: Find the perfect job. Start with: Update my resume in Jan. Apply to 10 jobs/wk in Feb. Break down intangible goals and assign a numeric value. This makes sure you’ve thought through your commitments, determined what is within your control, and identified the finish line. 🏃♀️Why DOABLE? Instead of: Meditate daily for 20 minutes. Start with: Meditate daily for 2 minutes. Then build from there. This one’s especially important if you wish to cultivate a long-term habit. Too often, just the act of getting started is the biggest hurdle. So make the hurdle smaller, then build the muscle to leap over larger and larger hurdles.

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3 What is a positive attitude?

A positive attitude is the tendency to have optimistic and constructive thoughts and feelings about yourself, your work, and your future. It doesn't mean ignoring or denying reality, but rather focusing on the positive aspects and possibilities of any situation. A positive attitude can help you cope with stress, boost your confidence, and increase your satisfaction in your career.

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Irene Chung

Leadership Coach & Startup Advisor
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“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it” – Ernest Holmes Have you heard of Lucky Girl Syndrome? Manifestation, positive affirmations, and setting intentions have been a long-standing practices in wellness, but why do they work? The science needs more rigor, but there are indications that you can train your Reticular Activating System (RAS) – a bundle of nerves in the brainstem responsible for filtering information – to filter for positive thoughts.

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4 How to cultivate a positive attitude?

One way to cultivate a positive attitude is to practice gratitude. This means expressing appreciation for what you have, what you do, and what you achieve. You can do this by keeping a gratitude journal, writing thank-you notes, or sharing your gratitude with others. Another way to cultivate a positive attitude is to practice positive affirmations. These are statements that affirm your strengths, values, and aspirations. You can do this by repeating them to yourself, writing them down, or displaying them somewhere visible.

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5 How to maintain a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

Maintaining a growth mindset and a positive attitude requires consistent practice and reflection. You can do this by setting SMART goals, which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. These goals can help you track your progress, celebrate your achievements, and identify areas for improvement. You can also do this by seeking support and feedback from others, such as mentors, coaches, peers, or managers. These people can help you learn, grow, and stay motivated in your career.

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Leigh-Ann Zaharevich, M.S.

Helping new leaders gain confidence and skills to thrive in their new role | Leadership and Team Development | DiSC Facilitator | 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team Facilitator | University Instructor
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I have found that people think it's a weakness to ask others for support or help. In reality, it is proof of self-awareness and an exhibition of a growth mindset. Why is there a stigma to asking for help? Mentorships, for example, are a 2-way win for supporting one another in this crazy world. One should never hire a coach who doesn't have their own coach.

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6 How to benefit from a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

Having a growth mindset and a positive attitude can bring many benefits to your career, such as enhancing skills and knowledge, increasing productivity and creativity, strengthening relationships and networking, advancing one's career, and finding meaning and purpose in what you do. By embracing learning opportunities, overcoming challenges, communicating effectively, and collaborating with others, you can achieve these goals.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you foster a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards your career?

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1 What is a growth mindset?

2 How to develop a growth mindset?

3 What is a positive attitude?

4 How to cultivate a positive attitude?

5 How to maintain a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

6 How to benefit from a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Management

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How do you foster a growth mindset and a positive attitude towards your career?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 What is a growth mindset?

2 How to develop a growth mindset?

3 What is a positive attitude?

4 How to cultivate a positive attitude?

5 How to maintain a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

6 How to benefit from a growth mindset and a positive attitude?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Management

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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