Mindset

Whether you’re a young entrepreneur, a parent, or an eager employee, your mindset needs to be aligned with your mission. If not, you’re much more likely to give up, break, or suffer unnecessarily.

Through tons of reading, habit formation, and trial and error, I’ve embraced a growth mindset that gets me to where I want to be. The core of the growth mindset consists of one simple belief: that anyone’s potential, intelligence, and abilities can be realized through effort, persistence, trying different strategies, and learning from mistakes.

My company’s “Worldgate Way” is a set of twelve statements that anchor our culture and guide our behavior. Four of them are all about fostering a growth mindset:

1. Be open-minded to new ideas, perspectives, and strategies.
2. Consistently adopt a learner mindset, so that you can readily adapt to the needs of clients, your team, the community, and yourself.
3. Be welcoming to new colleagues and clients.
4. Approach every decision and opportunity with a ‘yes…and’ mindset. Stay curious about the possibilities that every new opportunity might bring.

As you can see, we’re big on learning and growing at Worldgate. More than that, we know how important work-life balance is for maintaining a healthy mindset. We encourage our employees to take the time they need for personal care and contributing to their local communities.

How might you develop a growth mindset? It can help to start small—say, by journaling. Get into the habit of starting your day by putting a few intentional thoughts to paper: your current feelings, today’s to-do list, and self-care activities that you’re looking forward to. Check in on what you’ve written a few times throughout the day. You’ll be surprised how much your journal can anchor your mindset and keep you from veering off the path.

And don’t let your entrepreneurial goals cause you to ignore your body. In fact, physical fitness is a way to get closer to all of your other life goals. Even if you’re too busy to go to the gym, you can always take the time to do some simple stretches. That small act will bring balance back to your racing mind, anchoring you in the only body you have.

No matter which practice you prefer, find what works for you to keep your mindset healthy, happy, and hungry. It’s easy to say that you want to be an entrepreneur. But there will be moments when the inspiration passes—and that’s when the right mindset will carry you forward.