Did you know that adding a tiny word to your English phrases and sentences can change your mindset?
The way we communicate can affect the way we think.
Why not focus on building a growth mindset by adding the word “yet” when you talk about goals that you haven’t quite accomplished up to this point?
Carol Dweck, a researcher from Stanford, discovered two types of mindsets:
- Fixed mindset: This person thinks that intelligence or talent will create your success rather than how hard you work. They believe that your intelligence is “fixed” and it will not change. People with this kind of mindset will spend more time measuring their intelligence rather than focusing on increasing their intelligence. This person thinks that only talent causes success and effort doesn’t have much to do with it. This person believes that your future is reliant on the traits that you already have.
- Growth mindset: These people believe that success can be built through hard work. They love to learn. They believe they can change their future if they work hard enough. They can increase their intelligence and skills.
We talked about Carol Dweck’s research when Sarah Scala came on the show to talk about grit and resilience.
What can you do to cultivate more of a growth mindset?
You can add the word “yet” to your sentences when you talk about something that you haven’t done or don’t have.
Examples:
- “I have always wanted to travel to Australia. I haven’t made it to Australia yet.”
- “I haven’t met the love of my life yet.”
- “I haven’t found my language exchange partner yet”
- “I haven’t achieved a four-hour workweek yet.”
Now leave us your phrases in the comments.
What are you working toward that you haven’t accomplished yet?
Let us know!