In the “International Week of Happiness at Work” we were already able to notice the great effects of happy and satisfied employees on productivity, work atmosphere and communication skills. In our related blog article, we talked about small gestures in the form of honest compliments or small gifts that our employees exchanged with each other. 

But now the questions arise: how do I manage to independently ensure my own satisfaction and a positive mindset without the influence of additional people? What is a positive mindset anyway, are there different types of it and why exactly is it so important?

In order to explore these questions in depth, we are once again organizing a new campaign within our team: Within the period of 14.11 to 20.11, SailyGroup will celebrate Positive Mindset Week! For this, we will seek and share concrete answers to the questions raised, both on our social media and internally among our employees. 

To begin, we’ll start with what is probably the most important question:

What exactly is a mindset?

A mindset is the reflection of your attitude towards certain topics, the representation of your ways of thinking and behavior patterns – in other words, your general inner attitude. It can be influenced positively or negatively by various factors and is generally considered to be the decisive factor in shaping your life. 

A positive mindset reflects an optimistic attitude. Having this, you often have more confidence in yourself and seem to be able to act more self-confidently. You always have your goal in mind and can also handle negative setbacks well. 

People with a negative mindset, on the other hand, are often rather pessimistic, they have less self-confidence and it is often not easy for them to deal with setbacks.

But not only your mindset is influenced by different factors – your mindset itself also influences different areas in your life. 
These include, for example, your personal self-realization at work, your handling of crises or problems, and your relationships with people in your environment such as family or friends.

Now it raises the question of how Mindsets are divided.

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

To answer this question, we have to jump back to the year 2006, when Stanford psychology professor Carol Dweck published her book “Mindset: “The New Psychology of Success”.
Therein she reports on an experiment she conducted in a school to point out differences in psychological mindsets and their impact on later success. 

A group of students was given an unsolvable task which Dweck documented and analyzed their reaction to. 
While one part of the group viewed the unsolvability of the task as a personal failure, the other part of the students had a completely opposite reaction and viewed the task as an educational challenge. Based on this, Dweck concluded a division into two different Mindsets: the so-called Fixed Mindsets and Growth Mindsets. 

Persons with Fixed Mindsets believe that intelligence is innate and that challenges can only be solved up to a certain level of one’s own ability. Accordingly, one’s own skills or talent cannot be learned or expanded. Mistakes are always seen as a threat or a personal assault and trigger a feeling of insecurity and stress in the individuals concerned.

In contrast, people with Growth Mindsets have a dynamic self-image, are inquisitive and convinced of the possibility of further developing their skills. Accordingly, they gladly accept challenges in the sense of growth and personal development. They also accept mistakes rather as an opportunity for improvement, as a result of their own inability. 

In conclusion, people with a Growth Mindset are also more likely to be among those with a positive mindset, who are open and willing to face the challenges of everyday life. Negative mindsets are more likely to be found on the Fixed Mindset side, whose self-confidence is often diminished by mistakes. 

Tips and tricks for a positive Growth Mindset

Don’t worry: If you have noticed in the process of this article that you would rather describe yourself as a person with a Fixed Mindset and would like to change this, our following tips and tricks for a positive Growth Mindset will certainly help you!

1.Change of perspective

Mistakes happen to everyone. Getting annoyed by them for a short time is human and not to be blamed. However, if these mistakes are seen as a personal failure and a sign of incompetence, it will affect your entire way of doing things in the long run and you may not trust yourself to take on new challenges.

To get around this negative behavior, try this:
Don’t see mistakes as a setback, but as an opportunity to learn something new. Mistakes remind you that there is a better way. Look for it and be confident, after all, you can now better assess the situation. 

2. Redirect focus
For building a Growth Mindset, it is important to set goals. Keep in mind: they should be achievable! Therefore, concentrate on areas that you can influence. If you then achieve success, your brain sprays dopamine, you get in a good mood and automatically become more productive and motivated! This will strengthen your self-confidence in the long-term and you will face challenges with confidence and joy. 

3. Look back
When challenges come up and you feel that the task is too big for you, look back at the past and remember what you have already managed to do. Build on your successes and be proud of what you have accomplished. 

4. Get inspired
Whether it’s books, podcasts, or people around you, inspiration can be found everywhere. Regularly show your mind new things and keep in mind different possibilities for further development. Potential role models promote the stimulus for self-improvement and help to reduce your own self-doubt. 

5. Patience
Your mindset does not change overnight. Give your mind the time it needs and encourage it through training and discipline. Integrate the already mentioned tips into your daily life and represent the desire for change!

Of course, we also want to share these tips with our employees, so this week we are holding a workshop on the topic of Positive Growth Mindset. Stay tuned to LinkedIn and Instagram to follow our progress and experiences over the next few days!