Get growth mindset on your side with these thought swaps
Do you find yourself saying “I’ll never get it,” or “he’s just a natural talent.” Perhaps your mindset needs a little tweaking. Standford University's Carol Dweck developed the concept of growth versus fixed mindset.
Could your mindset impact upon your weight goals?
What is a growth mindset?
People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are set in stone and easily give up when confronted with challenges. On the other hand, those with a growth mindset understand that effort and hard work are key in success, and they aren’t afraid of persevering despite setbacks.
Essentially: having a growth mindset means giving yourself some slack and believing your abilities can grow, change and be developed. And when you look at it like that, it’s not surprising that growth mindset thinking can help our weight goals!
Try these thought swaps to help develop a growth mindset towards your weight goals
I can’t run 5 km -> I haven’t run 5 km yet
I have no will power -> I can make achievable changes over time
That’s good enough -> Can I try harder?
I'm not good at home cooking -> I can learn to cook easy, simple meals
I hate exercise -> I can try different activities, "exercise" is not one single thing
It's just my genetics -> My genetics may be an influence but they're not the whole picture
I'm not a morning person -> I can embrace the challenge of getting out of bed early
That was awful -> Mistakes help me learn
I blew my diet -> I’m human, I can try again tomorrow
Urgh, I don’t want to work out -> Movement keeps my body strong
My body aches so much -> My muscles are being used
I'll never lose the weight -> I can make small changes over time
I missed a day, it's ruined -> All exercise has a positive impact