One thing that we touched on in the last article but didn’t explicitly discuss is the issue of perception. Our perceptions are how we interpret events or people based on our sensory experiences. Even though our perceptions are all we know, how we perceive an event may not be accurate to how it unfolds in real life.
Probably enough, we can never escape our perceptions, no matter how hard we try. In fact, perceptions alter every single aspect of our day to day life. How we perceive the world ultimately determines many of our situations and emotions.
Because of how important perception is in our life, your perception of the obstacle will largely determine how you handle it and whether or not you can overcome it. Enhance your perception of obstacles to help you turn any obstacle into success.
What Psychology Says About Perception
Psychology has done a lot of research on perception. As we already mentioned, psychology determines that our perception is determined by our sensory experience with the world, meaning our sense of sight, smell, touch, and more.
More so, psychology has found that it determines how we respond to our obstacles. For example, if we negatively view obstacles, we are more likely to give up and feel defeated by them. In contrast, having an optimistic mindset about the obstacle makes us more likely to overcome the obstacle and succeed.
The most useful thing that psychology tells us about perception is that we have some control. Though it is impossible to have complete control, we can slightly change our perceptions by paying attention, intentionally turning our perception into meaning, acting accordingly, and practicing with our new mindset.
- Pay attention: What is your perception of an event? How does it differ from reality? How do you know?
- Give your perception meaning: What does it mean to you? Do you agree with this meaning? Should you change the meaning?
- Act accordingly: How do my actions reflect my view of the situation?
- Practice: What are ways that I can incorporate this new mindset into my everyday life?
What this means for obstacles is that you can turn your negative perception or mindset into a positive one. Simply with intentional and dedicated action, you can find yourself more likely to succeed by changing your mindset.
As you are actively trying to change your mindset, it is best to measure your progress by taking notes or using some app. Continue to act in accordance with this new mindset and track your progress. Stay optimistic even when it’s hard, and you will begin to see your mindset shift.
Popular Mindsets
Since perception matters, you are probably wondering what sort of a mindset you should have. There are three popular mindsets, but only one will lead to long term success. The fixed mindset, mixed mindset, and growth mindset are all three popular mindsets that people unknowingly have.
Fixed Mindset
The fixed mindset tells us that we are born with talents and skills. We cannot truly improve upon our talents, meaning our success is entirely up to our genetics. For example, a fixed mindset would tell you that you can never get a good grade in school since you are not smart.
This mindset is incredibly popular, but it is harmful. It takes away any power over our own circumstances and blames it on our natural abilities. Not only that, but the fixed mindset is untrue.
In the example mentioned in the last paragraph, a student assumes they can never get a good grade because they are not smart. Except for severe learning disabilities, most students can get a good grade with hard work and effort, even if they aren’t the most naturally intelligent. This proves the fixed mindset to be untrue.
Growth Mindset
The opposite of the fixed mindset is the growth mindset. The growth mindset tells you that you have certain natural abilities and strengths, but you can nurture your weaknesses and grow as a person. For example, a growth mindset may tell you that you aren’t the strongest at math, but you can improve with dedication and hard work.
The growth mindset is by far the best mindset for overcoming obstacles and becoming successful. It prevents you from becoming overwhelmed and giving up when faced with a new challenge. Instead, it helps you to stay focused and motivated to improve yourself.
If you want to overcome any obstacle, you need to start shifting your mindset from a fixed one to a growth version.
Mixed Mindset
In the process of shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth one, you will likely find yourself with a mixed mindset. A mixed mindset is one that is in between a fixed and growth one. Sometimes, you will find yourself thinking in fixed terms, but you will find yourself thinking in growth terms at other times.
Even though you aren’t where you want to be when you find yourself with a mixed mindset, it is an improvement from before. You should be excited that you are making progress and keep up the hard work. Continue to track your progress and intentionally have a growth mindset to step away from your fixed way of thinking completely.
Recap
When it comes to obstacles, perception can make or break you. Though it is easy to have a fixed mindset, a growth mindset will help you overcome any obstacle and transform it into success. Track your progress, act with a growth mindset in your vision, and stay optimistic to turn your fixed thinking into opportunities for growth.
