If you’ve ever looked at someone successful and felt that they’re ‘lucky’ or ‘born with it’, fate isn’t where the problem lies. You need to change your outlook and gain a growth mindset.
Achieving my dream of representing Ghana at the Olympics seemed like nothing short of a miracle. But in reality, it was a journey of resilience that I could never have even started without a growth mindset. Here are some tips from my experience to help you gain a growth mindset and stand out.
1. Don’t Dodge Challenges
Professor of mindset studies at Stanford University Carol S. Dweck defines people with a fixed mindset as those who avoid challenges because they doubt their abilities. To gain a growth mindset, it’s your duty to believe in yourself as the first priority.
I was told by many that my dreams were too unrealistic to become a reality. But I remained steadfast, held on to a growth mindset, and proved everyone wrong when I became Ghana’s first skeleton Olympian..
Nothing is impossible!
2. Have Patience
I moved to the Netherlands from Ghana when I was just eight and began my Skeleton racing journey at 31 years old. It took me a lot of hard work and training to become a Skeleton athlete, but I didn’t instantly become a Winter Olympian.
I had my high and low points, but I never gave up my dream of becoming an Olympic level athlete. This is an important element of the growth mindset. You don’t get everything instantly, even when you think you’re doing everything right. Good things come at the right time—I’m grateful my little girl had the chance to see her father become an Olympian
3. Appreciate Criticism
Many of us fear failure because we can’t take in the criticism that follows it. You might also feel so embarrassed about making mistakes that you would think of quitting altogether—this is what the fixed mindset does to you. To gain a growth mindset, you need to change the lens through which you view criticism; start appreciating it!
Research shows that humans tend to remember negative occurrences more than positive ones. That means that you should deliberately surround yourself with positivity and focus on the good advice that comes out of any criticism you get.
Success is not based on luck; it’s in your own hands. Your mindset and attitude towards your dreams and goals are what really define your life. Get up and go for it. Become a Hope of A Billion!
I’m Akwasi Frimpong, an Athlete motivational speaker and Ghana’s first skeleton Olympic athlete. Read more about me on my website, and follow me on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/akwasifrimpongfanpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frimpongakwasi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akwasifrimpong86/
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