Using Perspective to Shift from a Limited Mindset to a Growth Mindset

As a small business owner, you are no stranger to challenges. Whether it’s dealing with unexpected obstacles or striving to reach new heights, running a business requires a strong mindset. But what happens when your mindset is holding you back? A limited mindset can be detrimental to your success, but by shifting your perspective, you can adopt a growth mindset that will propel you forward.

A mindset is a set of beliefs and attitudes that shapes our perception of the world and our approach to life. In many ways, our mindset determines how we react to challenges and opportunities, how we view ourselves and our abilities, and ultimately, how successful we are in achieving our goals.

There are two main types of mindsets: a limited mindset and a growth mindset. A limited mindset is characterized by a fixed set of beliefs that focus on limitations and obstacles. It is a belief that our abilities, talents, and intelligence are fixed, and there is little room for growth or improvement. In contrast, a growth mindset is characterized by a belief that your abilities and potential can be developed through hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Shifting from a limited mindset to a growth mindset is crucial for business (and personal) growth and success. Let’s explore how to use perspective to shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset.

Perspective is the way you look at things from different angles or points of view. It helps you see things in a new light, challenge your assumptions, and find new possibilities. In other words, perspective plays a crucial role in our mindset. Through perspective, you can shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset in various situations. And by changing how we view ourselves, our abilities, and our challenges, we can create new possibilities and opportunities for growth and development. So how do you use perspective to shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset?

The first step in shifting your perspective is to recognize and challenge your limiting beliefs. Take a moment to reflect on the beliefs that are holding you back. Do you believe that you can’t succeed because you lack the right skills or resources? Do you think that you don’t have what it takes to compete with larger businesses? These beliefs are limiting your potential and preventing you from seeing opportunities for growth.

Challenge these beliefs by asking yourself questions such as:

• What evidence do I have to support this belief?
• Is this belief helping me or hindering me?
• What would happen if I approached this situation from a different perspective?

By questioning your limiting beliefs, you can begin to see that they are not facts, but rather assumptions that are holding you back. Once you recognize these beliefs, you can begin to replace them with more empowering beliefs that will help you grow.

One of the biggest challenges of running a business is dealing with failure. But instead of letting failure hold you back or push you back, a growth mindset sees it as an opportunity to learn and grow. When you experience failure, take a step back and reflect on what went wrong. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What could I have done differently?
• What lessons did I learn from this experience?
• How can I use this experience to improve in the future?

By embracing failure as a learning opportunity, you can develop resilience and a willingness to take risks, which are essential traits for any successful business owner.

Another hallmark of a limited mindset is the belief that talent is fixed and innate. People with a limited mindset believe that some people are born with natural talent, and others are not. They often compare themselves to others and feel inadequate if they do not measure up to their perceived level of talent. And that’s not a nice feeling at all.

Growth minded business owners, however, focus on effort and hard work rather than innate talent. They  believe that anyone can develop their abilities through dedication and persistence. They focus on their own progress and improvement, rather than comparing themselves to others.

It’s important to recognize that everyone has the potential to develop their abilities and there are many ways to do this including:

• Reading books, blogs, and articles on topics related to your industry
• Attending conferences, workshops, and networking events
• Seeking out mentors and advisors who can provide guidance and support
• Experimenting with new strategies and techniques

By focusing on hard work, learning, and development, you can continually improve your skills and knowledge and stay ahead of the curve in your industry.

You know that little voice in your head?  The one that never shuts up? Although we may not be able to shut it off, we can certainly change what it says. To shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset, you need to reframe that voice in your head.

Reframing involves changing the way you think about yourself, your abilities, and your challenges. It involves challenging your negative self-talk and replacing it with positive, growth-oriented thinking. Although it may be difficult at first, it becomes easier and even second nature in time. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Instead of thinking “I’m not good at this,” reframe it as “I can get better at this with practice and effort.”
• Instead of thinking “I’m not smart enough to do this,” reframe it as, “This is an opportunity to develop the skills I need to succeed.”
• When you encounter a setback, instead of thinking. “I failed,” think “I learned something valuable.”
• When you receive feedback, instead of thinking. “This is criticism,” think “This is useful information.”
• When you see someone else’s success, instead of thinking, “They are better than me,” think “They inspire me.”

By reframing your mindset, you can create new possibilities for growth and development, and not just in your business life. Try reframing your voice at home and see how quickly your mindset changes there as well.

Birds of a feather, flock together. The people we surround ourselves with can have a significant impact on our mindset, both positively and negatively.  If we surround ourselves with negative, limiting people, it can be challenging to shift from a limited mindset to a growth mindset. After all, who wants to be around a bunch of naysayers?

To shift to a growth mindset, surround yourself with positive, growth-oriented people. Find people who inspire you, challenge you, and support you in your journey of growth and development. Connect with people who believe in you and your potential and encourage you to pursue your goals and dreams.  By surrounding yourself with positive, growth-oriented people, you can create a supportive community that helps you shift to a growth mindset.

Although changing from a limited mindset to a growth mindset takes time and a fair amount of effort, it’s definitely worth it. Shifting to a growth mindset builds resiliency in the face of adversity and is a necessary part of being a successful (and happy!) business owner. With so many issues that you deal with on a daily basis, your mindset should not be another one.