Growth Mindset and Fitness: How to train yourself to think outside the box

What is a Growth Mindset? "Mindset" comes from English and describes a "thought pattern" or also the "mental attitude" of a person. In German, the term means "growth mindset". The term "Growth Mindset" was coined by the professor of psychology Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University. People who exhibit a Growth Mindset like to accept challenges and feedback in order to develop themselves further. These people believe that they can develop certain characteristics through work and are therefore not discouraged by setbacks.

In contrast, people with a "fixed mindset" attribute setbacks to the fact that they simply lack the talent for certain tasks and tend to avoid challenges for fear of making mistakes or failing. Negative or constructive feedback is not well received by such people. We all have a Growth and a Fixed Mindset to some extent. The good news, however, is that a Growth Mindset can be trained - just like a muscle. The Growth Mindset can be helpful in many aspects of life, including sports and fitness.

The most important thing here is to set small goals and celebrate these "interim successes". In fact, the somewhat cliché saying "the journey is the destination" applies here, because in order to boost your Growth Mindset and stay motivated, it's important to look back to see how far you've already come, rather than fretting about what lies ahead. So if your goal is to lose 10kg, be happy about the first two kilos already and celebrate this success, because it is already a success!

2. Find your drive

For every goal, it is important that you find your "why". It is your innermost conviction that can spur you on to new heights of performance and keep the motivation alive. So keep reminding yourself why you set out on this path and enrolled in the gym, for example. It can also help to visualize your goals. Hang a picture on your refrigerator or write down your "why" and place it where you will see it again and again. This way you will never lose sight of your goal.

3. Be inspired

The successes of others should serve as inspiration for your own goal instead of intimidating you. If you have a specific role model, get tips from that person instead of looking at them as competition! Get tips on your training plan and develop yourself further - this will not only help you stay motivated, but will also bring you closer to your goal. Keep in mind that even Arnold Schwarzenegger started from scratch at some point. Let yourself be inspired by their success and discipline without losing sight of your personal goal.

4. Stay true to yourself and your goa

Being inspired by role models should not mean that you constantly compare yourself with others. Stay focused on yourself and your goal. It's not important how much weight your training buddy is already lifting, but rather how many reps more you can already bench press. Constant comparison can rob you of the joy of the actual thing and inhibit the development process. Every person is different - especially in sports, many factors, including our genes, play a role. So don't let yourself get rattled and stay true to your path, or rather your training plan.

5. Accept feedback and face challenges

Having a growth mindset also means knowing that you have to keep learning in order to be successful. Therefore, the willingness for continuous development is important and this works best when you accept and implement feedback. This is the only way we can learn to do things better, get stronger or improve our training technique. A workout buddy or trainer can be by your side with feedback on your execution or encourage you to try new challenges. Always wanted to do a pull-up, but never quite dared? Then grab a training partner and a resistance band and get started! Every challenge we overcome helps us grow and keeps us motivated.

6. Find solutions instead of excuses

Surely everyone can relate to this point. How often do we look for supposed arguments not to do something and still feel good about it. "It's too cold", "it's too dark", "I'll train again tomorrow" or "I really don't have time now". Set your priorities and create a weekly training plan. This way you can bring structure into your training and your everyday life. And remember: it's always better to work out for 30 minutes than to skip your workout completely. Visualize your goal, remember your "why" and you will soon see that suddenly there is enough time for everything. And who has ever regretted going to the gym?

7. Pareto's 80 / 20

Pareto's theory states that about 20% of our activities or tasks are responsible for 80% of the final results. You can make use of this theory as well. Optimize your training plan and identify your most important daily tasks. Focus first on the tasks that are most likely to be successful. This way you can work and train more efficiently and still achieve around 80% of the final results. It is simply impossible to achieve optimal results with every single task. So if you also tend to perfectionism, remind yourself of the Pareto principle every now and then. And as described in point 1: the way is the goal and intermediate successes are also successes!

8. Habe patience

You probably won't change the world overnight! Be aware of this and approach your goals with patience. As mentioned in point 1: celebrate the small intermediate successes and keep in mind what you have already achieved and why you are doing what you are doing. With structure, a (training) plan and consistency you will quickly be able to develop a routine that will make it easier for you to stay on the ball. Big goals require the appropriate growth mindset and take time, just as a muscle only grows over time with increased stress. Keep at it, keep training, and soon you will see how far you have come!

In the end, our brain is just a muscle and things like a Growth Mindset can, and must, be trained just like any other muscle in the body. We wish you a lot of success and most of all a lot of fun on your way!