By Lauretta Justin, OD, of Orlando, Florida
“Becoming is better than being.” -Carol S. Dweck
What if you could break the chain of limiting thoughts about who you are and all you could be?
What if you could embrace challenges, struggles, criticisms and setbacks as a source of growth?
You can!
That’s what a growth mindset is all about.
With revenues of more than $12 billion, Circuit City had been one of the pioneers in the 1970s and 1980s in mass marketing televisions, refrigerators, stereos and boom boxes. As such, it was something of a one-stop shopping spot for your typical freshman off to college.
Over the years, Circuit City built itself into 1,520 stores in the U.S. and Canada and 46,000 workers. Yet sometime during the 1990s, Circuit City lost its way. It went completely bankrupt by 2009.
“Circuit City wasn’t necessarily fated to collapse in 2009 had it woken up sooner,” said Alan L. Wurtzel, the former Circuit City CEO. Instead, management ushered in the new century with largely the same strategy Wurtzel had developed in 1980, focusing on services that customers didn’t need or want anymore.
“The world is always changing, and you can’t rely on your past accomplishments.” -Alan L. Wurtzel
Does any of this sound familiar? Do you see anything like this happening in our industry? The writings are on the wall. Change is here!
World-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, in decades of research on achievement and success, has discovered a truly groundbreaking idea—the power of our mindset.
People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities and the future are fixed. They are far less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset believe that the future is fluid and abilities can be developed through hard work, good strategies and mentorship. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.
When you focus on a growth mindset, you embrace all the things that have felt threatening: challenges, struggles, criticisms and setbacks. When you embrace the tough stuff, you open yourself up to fully realize your potential and all that you can be. Instead of depending on luck or “natural” talent, you focus on developing your skills and abilities and learning from your efforts.
Many growth-minded people didn’t even plan to go to the top. They got there as a result of doing what they love. It’s ironic: The top is where the fixed-mindset people hunger to be, but it’s where many growth-minded people arrive as a by-product of their enthusiasm for what they do.
With the fixed mindset, unless you win, you lose. But with the growth mindset, the journey is the reward, even when things don’t go as planned. When you adopt a growth mindset you focus on learning over immediate achievement.
According to our CEO of YOU business model, here are 3 ways you can adopt a growth mindset to achieve success in your practice:
1. Go back to the beginning and rekindle your passion for what you do!
• Identify your BMVPV
Beliefs – Both limiting and limitless
Mission – What you want to accomplish with your practice
Vision – Where you want to take your practice
Purpose – Why you do what you do
Values – Your ethical code
2. Embrace and implement a fluid strategy!
• Create guidelines and systems for the following areas of your practice
Leadership
Administration
Operations
Promotions
Sales
3. Enlist the help of and develop partnership with like-minded people!
• Here’s a list of people, I recommend adding to your team.
Professional mentors/advisors/coaches/consultants
Employees
Vendor representatives
Community advocates
Patients
The constant change and evolution in our profession can feel daunting. However, I believe if you accept the fact that you don’t know everything and stay open to learn and adapt; you will succeed! Regardless of the changes in our industry, I believe YOU still have the power to achieve your dreams. However, your level of success will depend on your mindset.
Want to develop a growth mindset and take your practice to the next level? I can help! Click here to send me an email.
Until next time, remember to dream BIG, take risks and become the CEO of YOU©!
