Our mindsets influence the choices we make as we navigate daily life. Many possess a fixed mindset; the belief that they’ve achieved their peak intelligence and talent levels. According to the psychologist, Carol S. Dweck, a fixed mindset puts you in a difficult corner with several limitations.
But Dweck tells us that we can change the way we think. We can change how we perceive problems. Rather than see our plateaus as the end, we can begin to see them as a way of learning something new. This is what Dweck calls the growth mindset.
Below are 12 powerful mindset quotes that will open your minds to new ideas and encourage you towards positive thinking.
I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in.
Baseballer Roger Clemens, widely known as "Rocket", is one of the most famous pitchers in major league history. With an impressive tally of seven Cy Awards- more than any player- the Ohio native is the only pitcher in the history of baseball to rack up 350 wins and strike out 4,500 batters.
Clemens’ famous mindset quote about achieving goals if you buckle down and put your heart into them sums up why many refer to him as "Lord of the strikeouts". And the only player to accomplish the 20-strikeout feat twice in MLB history.
I'm promoting positivity. I'm promoting happiness and loving yourself and having fun. But it's not a joke.
American rapper Miles Park McCollum, a.k.a Lil Yachty (amazon) has shared that he dislikes stirring negativity. Lil Yachty broke into the music spotlight in August 2015 for his hit singles "One Night" and "Minnesota". And since then, the Georgia native has notched up several nominations, including a Grammy Award nomination for "Broccoli" with Dram in the Best Rap category.
At a time when young rappers are fighting to be the best, Lil Yachty admitted he's focused on promoting positivity on a global scale. In the end, it doesn't matter what you're trying to achieve or how to get the tool to get you started on your life's biggest challenges. If you remain positive, there is no telling what you can do or become.
Creating organizations that value a growth mindset can create contexts in which more people grow into the knowledgeable, visionary, and responsible leaders we need.
Many know Dweck (amazon) for her work on the human mindset. After earning a Ph.D. in psychology from Yale University, she earned her spot as an advocate for social development as well as motivation.
To be successful in a competing environment, Dweck says "hard work, learning, training, and doggedness" are the sticks that create the fire for success. This way instead of beating yourself down psychologically over a few failures and admitting defeat, you will learn to appreciate your mistakes and build your achievements on them.
Leadership is a mindset that shifts from being a victim to creating results. Any one of us can demonstrate leadership in our work and within our lives.
Robin S. Sharma is a Canadian motivational speaker who is notable for his "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" book series alongside “The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO” (both on Amazon). Sharma is also a stress management expert with over 12 publications.
His mindset quote is a handy reminder for anyone struggling to make a relevant impact as an individual. The underlying element of this quote is that the more responsibilities you take, the more others will see you as a leader. And for that to happen you stop seeing yourself as a victim and start creating results. Because there is no telling what you can do.
Spot opportunities where there are challenges. Take challenges head-on. You're limitless. And what better time to start thinking like a leader than now?
We will pay a heavy price if we insist on navigating the 21st century with a 20th century mindset.
As an environmentalist, liberal, and philanthropist, Steyer is a strong advocate of improved methods of living, income equality, child, and rural development. Steyer was a pivotal figure in discouraging bills that supported the use of gasoline in the US in a bid to scale down carbon emission--a major cause of climate change--and improve living standards.
His quote goes on to say there are many ways you can achieve your goals. But there are only a few better and improved ways that can turn them into a reality. Don't get glued to a spot trying to do things the way you used to. Instead, reach out. Listen to people's opinions. Gather ideas. Try that new method your friends and colleagues have been yelling about, and see if it works.
I'd been reading Eastern philosophy since I was a kid. And I meditated. I did it on a daily basis. It's the one thing I do with any consistency. Meditation gives you a different kind of mindset. It's very powerful.
Having featured in prominent movies such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Crying Game, and his most famous movie--The Last King of Scotland-- (all on amazon) as Ugandan tyrannic dictator Idi Amin, which earned him the Academy Awards for Best Actor, Whitaker is one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors.
Many have praised Whitaker for his seamless ability to portray the characters of his movie roles. And if there's one thing that's made him a director's favorite, it's consistency. Consistency leads to effective results. It is an assured way to get recognized for your efforts. However, if your actions are inconsistent, even with your positive mindset, you will remain in the rearview.
At Microsoft, we're aspiring to have a living, learning culture with a growth mindset that allows us to learn from ourselves and our customers. These are the key attributes of the new culture at Microsoft, and I feel great about how it seems to be resonating and how it's seen as empowering.
Nadella joined Microsoft in 1992 from Sun Microsystems. Industry analysts have credited him for unifying Microsoft's database, Windows Server, developer tools to its Azure Cloud. In 2014, Microsoft appointed Nadella as CEO, making him the firm's third CEO in the company's history after Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.
Among his prominent works as a CEO was changing the company's mission statement to "empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more". Nadella also pulled off some big money acquisitions like Swedish Mojang- Minecraft developers-LinkedIn, and GitHub worth billions of dollars. In 2018, outlet Comparably called him the best CEO of a large company in America using employee reviews.
No doubt Nadella's work culture in that quote is strong proof that an entrepreneurial mindset puts you ahead of your competition. We build a healthy work environment by encouraging learning from others. And Nadella’s quote summarizes one of the best ways to boost your business’ growth.
Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.
Kallam Anji Reddy was an entrepreneur, founder, and chairman of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories which he established in 1984. Before his death in 2013, Anji was a member of the Indian Prime Minister's Council and a recipient of the Padma Shri and the Padmabhushan for his contribution to the Indian pharmaceutical industry.
Helping others is the ultimate mindset and satisfaction. A fine blend of your soft skills with kindness to others will catapult you to the top of the social ladder. It's no wonder Anji spent the bulk of his life in service, giving back to the Indian society and the entire world.
No matter what, you got to come in, and you got to continue to work, continue to have that mindset to get better every single day.
Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley is an American football running back for NFL outfit New York Giants. Born into a family of talents, the Bronx native is popular for his offensive runs which earned him a spot, twice (2016, 2017), in the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He notched 91 receptions as a running back- the most by any rookie. But one of the biggest highlights of his NFL career was his jaw-dropping 50+ rookie touchdowns- a record five times- tied with Randy Moss.
His mindset quote reminds us to never give up on trying to be better or seek something better in life. Every single day. Plus, when you stay focused on your goals, there's no telling how far you can run with it.
Changing the game is a mindset.
Robert Anthony Rodriguez is a veteran filmmaker and virtual effects supervisor. The Mexican American is renowned for the commercially successful 1992 action film El Mariachi which grossed a whopping $2 million on the back of a meager $7,000 budget. Rodriguez also directed the Spy Kids films, The Mexico Trilogy: Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, including 2019 American cyberpunk action film Alita: Battle Angel (all on amazon).
Rodriguez, who prefers working at night, has a belief that "creativity, not money is used to solve problems" and this is an absolute game-changer. And if your expectations don't turn out as you imagined, use your creative mindset to change the rules of the game.
Resolutions are a wonderful thing if we can keep them, but many resolutions go by the wayside because we have not done anything different with our mindset.
Monica Johnson's quotes are just as true as they come. Credited for her contributions to Modern Romance, Jekyll and Hyde...Together again, and the Muse, Johnson was an accomplished American screenwriter. Her style included injecting humour in her scripts, a move that landed her top roles as a screenwriter for Mother and Landing in America.
We may struggle to fulfill resolutions if we're stuck in the old ways of doing things that don’t serve us. Johnson understood that we achieve our resolutions when we maintain a healthy and positive mindset.
Innovation requires an experimental mindset.
American business executive and corporate honcho, Denise Morrison, is a top-dog expert on marketing and sales. Morrison has served at the helm of some of the world's top FMCG firms such as Pepsi-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and Nestle. She served as CEO and president of Campbell Soup Company from 2011 to 2018. Morrison also graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a B.S degree in economics and psychology.
Morrison's achievements as a business executive, including a truckload of awards for her services, resonates with her quote about innovation. To create new things that stand out, you must be willing to take risks. An innovative mind is one that is willing to try new and improved ways of doing things; that's the perception of a growing (experimental) mindset.
It is important to feed your mind with encouraging content and develop a positive attitude towards life. Adopt a practicing mindset. Practice consistency and be brave enough to take challenges head-on.
Focus on learning; from others and your mistakes. Develop a growth mindset that will teach you to become whoever you want to be and banish the fixed mindset that says you can never change the way you are.
Your mind is a "flexible mirror, adjust it, to see a better world," says Amit Ray, author of Mindfulness Living in the Moment-Living in the Breath (amazon).
The Paris climate agreement may be a harbinger of the spirit and mindset needed to sustain genuine global cooperation.
Everyone is a mixture of fixed and growth mindsets. You could have a predominant growth mindset in an area, but there can still be things that trigger you into a fixed mindset trait.
Leadership is a mindset in action. So don't wait for the title. Leadership isn't something that anyone can give you - you have to earn it and claim it for yourself.
The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness. But if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions.
True philanthropy requires a disruptive mindset, innovative thinking and a philosophy driven by entrepreneurial insights and creative opportunities.
Culture is about the mindset of people, and we are very happy to have a strong combined mindset of people.
With a fixed mindset, you're so worried about how smart or talented you are, you don't take on challenges. You don't try new things.
There is something about the mindset of a scientist that is different - an awareness of uncertainty, modeling, proof.
You can't just declare that you have a growth mindset. Growth mindset is hard.
Goals give us purpose, which, in turn, motivates us to make ourselves the best version in all aspects of your life.
Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.
No matter what, people grow. If you chose not to grow, you're staying in a small box with a small mindset. People who win go outside of that box. It's very simple when you look at it.
Negative energy is wasteful.
Sometimes in life, when bad things happen to us, or things aren't going our way, or we're faced with a challenge or a problem, it's how you look at the problem; it's how you do it to change your mindset, to dilute the negativity.