<p>The pandemic has altered the way we work, treat our health, educate our children, interact with relatives, friends, shop for necessities and consume entertainment. We have had several disruptions, however, there are a few people who have been able to seize the opportunity presented by the pandemic. It all boils down to one’s state of mind and approach to things. While there are one set of people with a fixed mindset — believe their capabilities are fixed and cannot be changed — there is another set of people who have a growth mindset and believe that their capabilities will continue to evolve over a period. Here are six tips to train the mind to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be passionate</strong></p>.<p>Do not forget the reason why you entered the profession, choose the right occupation that you are interested in to sustain your enthusiasm for work. No matter what work you do, take a liking to the challenges, focus on excellence and it will mean a lot of fun. Do not clock-in and clock-out, your appointment letter may specify the timings but there is much that can be gained during off-hours. It is difficult to turn out amazing work until and unless you are passionate about it.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be a generalist</strong></p>.<p>Do a good job and give your 100%, no work is big or small, whatever work you do enjoy it. The first couple of years of the career should be spent on learning and strengthening the foundation. Take on different roles at a young age, rotate jobs and understand where your heart lies. If your base is not solid it will be difficult to strategise effectively when you move up the career.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Overcome fear of failure</strong></p>.<p>We live in a world where people fear failure more than they fear death. Every small mistake is magnified. Failure is not a lasting event but an opportunity to understand, from which you can derive improvement. Anticipate fear so that nothing can wreck the plans, have courage, work hard, be focused, and conquer the fear of failure.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be a continuous learner</strong></p>.<p>Do not be proud of degrees as higher education only gives you knowledge. Be aware of the practical realities. At the same time, let go of the work you did in the initial years and learn what is required for growth else you will become the bottleneck and the organisation will be stuck.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Self-reflect</strong></p>.<p>Know your strengths and honestly assess stumbling blocks that hamper your progress. Reflect and understand how others see your persona, do not mould yourself to fit a stereotype but understand the gap between what you want to achieve and how your image is restricting you.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Have a sense of purpose</strong></p>.<p>Define a clear destination, maintain a larger purpose of life, and create an appropriate support system at home.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Actions for life</strong></p>.<p>What holds back whether in our careers or in our personal lives is not some external reality but our own thought process which tends to paralyse the mind. Life is a journey we must learn to cherish, savour, and treasure with gratitude.</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The author is a counsellor and mental coach.)</span></em></p>
<p>The pandemic has altered the way we work, treat our health, educate our children, interact with relatives, friends, shop for necessities and consume entertainment. We have had several disruptions, however, there are a few people who have been able to seize the opportunity presented by the pandemic. It all boils down to one’s state of mind and approach to things. While there are one set of people with a fixed mindset — believe their capabilities are fixed and cannot be changed — there is another set of people who have a growth mindset and believe that their capabilities will continue to evolve over a period. Here are six tips to train the mind to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be passionate</strong></p>.<p>Do not forget the reason why you entered the profession, choose the right occupation that you are interested in to sustain your enthusiasm for work. No matter what work you do, take a liking to the challenges, focus on excellence and it will mean a lot of fun. Do not clock-in and clock-out, your appointment letter may specify the timings but there is much that can be gained during off-hours. It is difficult to turn out amazing work until and unless you are passionate about it.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be a generalist</strong></p>.<p>Do a good job and give your 100%, no work is big or small, whatever work you do enjoy it. The first couple of years of the career should be spent on learning and strengthening the foundation. Take on different roles at a young age, rotate jobs and understand where your heart lies. If your base is not solid it will be difficult to strategise effectively when you move up the career.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Overcome fear of failure</strong></p>.<p>We live in a world where people fear failure more than they fear death. Every small mistake is magnified. Failure is not a lasting event but an opportunity to understand, from which you can derive improvement. Anticipate fear so that nothing can wreck the plans, have courage, work hard, be focused, and conquer the fear of failure.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Be a continuous learner</strong></p>.<p>Do not be proud of degrees as higher education only gives you knowledge. Be aware of the practical realities. At the same time, let go of the work you did in the initial years and learn what is required for growth else you will become the bottleneck and the organisation will be stuck.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Self-reflect</strong></p>.<p>Know your strengths and honestly assess stumbling blocks that hamper your progress. Reflect and understand how others see your persona, do not mould yourself to fit a stereotype but understand the gap between what you want to achieve and how your image is restricting you.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Have a sense of purpose</strong></p>.<p>Define a clear destination, maintain a larger purpose of life, and create an appropriate support system at home.</p>.<p class="CrossHead Rag"><strong>Actions for life</strong></p>.<p>What holds back whether in our careers or in our personal lives is not some external reality but our own thought process which tends to paralyse the mind. Life is a journey we must learn to cherish, savour, and treasure with gratitude.</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The author is a counsellor and mental coach.)</span></em></p>