Keep an eye out for the damaging mindsets that are keeping you from reaching your full potential. If you do any of these five, the time to stop is now.
Damaging mindsets are the most common obstacles that you will face on the road to success. You’re capable of more than you may realize. But if any of these thoughts are able to sneak into your conscience, watch out! In this article, we look at the five worst and give practical tips for how to avoid them. Let’s get going!
1. Impostor Syndrome
The first of the damaging mindsets that can derail your life before you even get started is Impostor Syndrome. This phrase describes you feeling like any accomplishments that you’ve achieved in life are the result of blind luck.
You’ve gotten as far as you can go on talent. You don’t belong in the position that you’re in. It’s something that a lot of successful (and unsuccessful) people feel in their lives. The only difference is that the successes are able to work their way through it.
What to Do Instead
If you feel like Impostor Syndrome has taken hold, it helps to do a little self-reflection. Think about each part of the process that got you to where you are. You’ll notice some luck in there, but it won’t all be.
In fact, we’d venture to guess that a very small portion of it is luck. And any luck that does result is a by-product of your own hard work, ingenuity, and talent. Reflection, observation, and self-talk are good methods for getting through it. You should also give yourself permission to learn and grow in your position.
2. Feeling Like You Are Not Smart Enough
This is similar to Impostor Syndrome with many of the same thought processes in place. The only difference: it comes upon you before you start something. You essentially talk yourself into losing before you’ve even tried.
Impostor Syndrome, on the other hand, exists after you’ve already achieved something. With this entry on the list of damaging mindsets, you don’t give yourself that opportunity in the first place.
What to Do Instead
Realize that everything builds on something else. In school, you learn things incrementally. You don’t move onto a more challenging subject until you’ve completed a subject whose concepts will be needed to help you progress in your studies.
Try to make connections to the material in front of you and what you already know. Look at the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies that you’ve already claimed. Bring those into your understanding of what lies ahead.
3. Procrastination
Procrastination isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes we procrastinate on things that aren’t that important, and those things end up becoming unnecessary altogether before we get a chance to address them. That’s a good thing.
On the other hand, most of us procrastinate about things that really shouldn’t be put off till tomorrow. Like that research paper you knew about all semester and didn’t start until the week before it was due.
What to Do Instead
Learn to set priorities and create strategies. When you see the level of work that goes into each, you’ll better realize the full weight of what you’re up against.
Not only will this help you stop procrastinating on important stuff. It will also help you to figure out what can (and should) be put off or neglected altogether.
4. Declaring School A Waste Of Time
It can make you feel cool and sound that way to a certain subset of classmates. In reality, it’s one of the most damaging mindsets that you can have. That’s because it shows weakness and ignorance, which will not help you in life.
People usually fall into this trap because they’ve found something too challenging. They’re intimidated by what they’re up against and too lazy or insecure to push themselves beyond their limits.
What to Do Instead
If you find yourself thinking this way about school, flip it around on yourself. Ask yourself, “Why do I feel like my school is a waste of time?” If you’re not just being lazy, ignorant, or intimidated, you should be able to explain why this is the case. After all, it’s just an internal dialogue. No pressure.
As you start to put down specific reasons, take responsibility for changing it. Feel like your teacher is only teaching to the average and you’re way smarter than that? Ask them if there’s a project or something else you can do for extra credit. In other words, refuse to have your time wasted since you have to go anyway.
5. Not Taking Responsibility For Your Actions
Trying to blame others is probably the most damaging mindset that we can think of. You cannot control everything that happens to you. And yes, some things that happen will be through no fault of your own. But trying to place blame instead of find solutions ensures that nothing will ever get better.
What to Do Instead
Stop trying to diagnose and verbalize when something goes wrong. Instead, be the person who steps up and says, “This happened. Now what can we do to fix it?” You’ll instantly be recognized as a leader, and that’s something that will serve you well as you move into a career.
These Damaging Mindsets Will Ensure You Are Never Successful
We hope that none of the damaging mindsets we’ve presented above apply to you. But if they do, take heart. It’s never too late to stop engaging in these behaviors. The first step is to recognize they’re happening. Then, the solution becomes clear. Good luck!
Aric Mitchell's work appears regularly here at 4tests.com and across the web for sites, such as The Inquisitr and Life'd. A former high school teacher, his passion for education has only intensified since leaving the classroom. At 4tests, he hopes to continue passing along words of encouragement and study tips to ensure you leave school ready to face an ever-changing world.
