Which of the following do you agree with?
Our intelligence and success levels are predetermined at birth
Some people are gifted and lucky, others are not
You can become successful, happy and create the life you want, whatever your starting point
You can change the way you think, learn new skills and behaviour over and over again
If you agreed with the first two statements, you’re coming from a fixed mindset. If you agreed with the second two, you’ve got a growth mindset and if you have a growth mindset then right here, right now reading this blog is exactly where you need to be!
The secret to success today lies in ensuring you are able to adapt. Adapt to change, let go of old ‘rules’ and welcome new ones. The world we live in today is one of massive change, unprecedented in the history of civilisation and although to many of us change is intimidating and means entering the ‘unknown’, embracing change as an opportunity is key.
As Alvin Toffler quoted:
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
Being able to learn, unlearn and relearn, along with nurturing a “can do-will do attitude” is key to succeeding in any uncertain, unpredictable and evolving environment both personally and professionally.
Throughout the course of your life there will be endless things you will need to learn and unlearn, whether this be skills in your next job or a particular thought or behaviour pattern that you identify as unhealthy in a personal relationship. The importance of understanding ourselves, our own belief systems and the amazing capabilities of our brains to rewire is invaluable.
The term ‘unlearn’ may present with a negative tone, however what we need to understand is that by ‘unlearn’ we do not mean dismiss or disregard it simply means to maintain a growth mindset that allows us to ‘let go’ of old and perhaps unhelpful patterns, beliefs or skills that may not be of any use to us any longer and replacing these with new, more beneficial and helpful ‘rules’ or behaviours.
Change happens constantly, and no one in this world can or will possibly ever know or understand everything there is to know, so if change is the only constant in our lives does it not make sense to embark on a journey to continuously learn? But most importantly remember to embrace ‘learning’ in its entirety we must learn – unlearn – relearn.
My passion is about empowering people, motivating and helping people to understand their full potential. Quite often people do not realise what this is or how to get there simply because they have never been taught or exposed. Through this blog I hope to provide each of you with insights I have gained in the pursuit of excellence over the past three decades at the individual, team and leadership levels of performance. I look forward to sharing my insights with you. Remember this….. Those who succeed and find opportunities in this changing world are those who go looking for them…… so let’s work together to be amazing!
Wayne