You feel like you’re consistently achieving your professional objectives, but it seems you’re not receiving recognition. Perhaps you’ve even begun to question whether you’ve peaked. Regardless of where we are in our careers, the concept of a growth mindset can be beneficial to us. Let’s let go of the notion that our aptitudes and skills are fixed. A growth mindset helps us to believe that we can learn and become even better at what we do. Although it may seem straightforward, this can fundamentally alter the way we handle career challenges and setbacks in our professional lives. To start, let’s consider what a growth mindset means.
What is a Growth Mindset?
A professional who has a growth mindset regarding their career looks for opportunities to broaden their knowledge, acquire new abilities, and improve their level of experience because they understand that learning never ends. Additionally, a growth mindset creates avenues for growth and fulfilment. Opportunities for promotion arise when you make a commitment to your chosen career field and actively pursue progress within it. This advancement can be incredibly fulfilling and give a sense of purpose and achievement that surpasses material gains.
How Developing a Growth Mindset Can Support You in Your Career.
Can Do Attitude:
Having a positive mindset and a can-do attitude can take us a long way. In the words of Henry Ford,
“If you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right.” Believing that things are possible and that there is a way forward can help us get up and running with the task at hand – no matter how challenging it can feel at times.
Ability to Learn From Situations:
Our growth mindset allows us to learn from situations. This could include encouraging and inspiring us to try out new things (and learning from the experience) as well as taking a reflective approach to the unplanned and unexpected things that come our way. They say, “Every day is a school day,” and the ability to learn along the way can be a blessing and a privilege.
Continuous Improvement:
A growth mindset incorporates the Power Of YET. There is always room for us to improve. To get “even better.” Knowing that we are on a journey and can make continuous small improvements (or big leaps and bounds) keeps things interesting and motivating. It can also have a positive impact on our performance and results over time.
Helps us to be Curious and Humble:
A growth mindset allows us to approach something new with a “beginner’s mindset.” We acknowledge that we don’t know everything and that this can be a good thing (not something to fear or hide from). This humility also allows us to be curious and to ask questions to expand our knowledge and get the most from the learning experience.
Enables us to Respond Rapidly to Changing Environment:
“The only constant is change,” Heraclitus. Most of us experience our fair share of change in the organisations we work with. The pace of change seems to be speeding up too, along with advancing technologies. Furthermore, life doesn’t always go exactly as planned. Being able to adapt to changing situations and environments is necessary to keep up with what’s going on and to thrive, rather than simply survive.
Can Help With The Development of Others:
Few of us work in isolation. Most of us work with and through others, whether they report to us or not. Being able to share the concept of a growth mindset with others can be very empowering and enabling. It can also help us to help them develop and grow.
How Developing a Growth Mindset Will Help in Career Advancement.
Professionals with a growth mindset often believe that they can reach their career goals by improving their skills and abilities through work, practice, and learning new things. They view difficulties and barriers in their careers as opportunities for professional growth and education. They also see feedback as insights for continued learning and improvement, and successful people are seen as teachers, mentors, and advisors who can support their career success.
In summary, pursuing a career comes with various challenges, and accountants and finance professionals are not immune to these challenges. Aside from your technical skills, having a soft skill such as a growth mindset will help you surmount these challenges and achieve your career goals, no matter how difficult they seem. Start by taking the steps discussed in this article, and then you will enjoy the benefits.
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