Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset and Spirituality

Many people question their mindset, fixed vs growth, and how it effects their lives. Often the association made with the term mindset is approached from a psychological perspective. There is a spiritual component to this which may be a more impactful factor.

Mindset Growth and Mindset Fixed: Introduction

Before getting into the spiritual connection, let’s talk a little about the issue. People approach things from different perspectives. This is easily seen in answers given by different people to the exact same question. An overly simplified example is the question ‘Where do you live?’.

Some may say England. Others might say London. And some may give the neighborhood or even an actual address when asked this question. Each will answer from their own perspective. And their answer may provide a clue to how their brain works.

Notice, I did not say ‘mind’, I said ‘brain’, as I believe they are distinct and different. I believe the term mindset is a misnomer. Mindset, as most would view it, is really about the ‘brain’ and not the ‘mind’. Mind is a much broader concept that encompasses all the wisdom in the universe. The brain is an organ we each have that is subject to random evaluations of truth and falsehood. And, like a computer, any analysis from the brain is only as good as the data we input. Bad data leads to poor choices and incorrect thoughts. However, for the sake of relatability, I will continue using the term ‘mindset’, as that is the reference of greatest familiarity for most.

When it comes to needs and happiness, which includes life’s various experiences, some people come from a growth mindset while others have more of a fixed mindset. Underneath it all, they both want the same things, to be successful and happy, but they see and evaluate things a little differently.

This points to a potentially different perspective from which life is viewed: Love vs Fear, True Self vs Ego self. This is the spiritual component to this question, and it speaks directly to one’s capacity to take actions to improve their lives.

Intellectual vs Spiritual

When talking about mindset, it is likely that many are referencing an intellectual evaluation, whether it be arrived at from left brained or right brained perspective — analytical/methodical or creative/artistic.

In my experience regardless of which approach is taken, when we account for the reality that either left or right brain evaluations are subject to the flaws of the brain — bad data in, bad results out — an intellectual evaluation of one’s mindset seems a bit ‘off’.

A better approach might be the realization that mindset is about a spiritual connection to all things within ourselves and the way this impacts our lives.

When the influences of the True Self and the Ego self are properly accounted for, (not from a psychological perspective, but a spiritual one), then things come into focus.

The True Self is quiet and content to remain in the background until called upon. This is because it is based in love and love is allowing. It is content and not controlling.

The Ego self, however, is loud and demanding. It takes every opportunity to control everything. It is based in fear and its perception of control brings it a false sense of comfort and security. If these feelings of comfort and security were not illusions, they would last, be eternal. But, most spend a good part of their lives pursuing these things, day after day, on a never ending search.

So, where am I going with this?

Mindset

The foundation of one’s mindset, whether it be a rigid, fixed mindset, or a more open, growth mindset, is a function of the balance between the True Self and the Ego self within. Which of these two is more dominant in your life?

We all have an Individualized Self. Within the Individualized Self, which is a fundamental building block of our experiences in the physical world, are these two different factions: True Self and Ego self — Love and Fear. This is the foundation of the Duality within.

Those who have transcended a bigger chunk of the Ego self are automatically in a position to more closely resonate with the True Self. It naturally fills the void created when pieces of the Ego self are transcended.

In other words, the love within grows and its influence on our perspective naturally increases, given the opportunity. Love is allowing. It is not judgmental and is open to all things, including new things and the possibility that a prior perspective may have been incorrect. This is growth.

Fear, on the other hand, is not open to change and new territory. It never wants to be shown a new way as it finds comfort in familiarity. This is why many have trouble letting go of painful issues. In a way, they find comfort in the familiarity of their inner emotional pain and expend lots of energy blocking this negative energy from leaving.

As an aside, the negative energy and all its emotional pain wants to leave. We choose to hold it back.

When fear is the more dominant of these two essences within — Duality in action — then a fixed mindset is more likely to be the perspective from which one views life, the world, and change. These folks are less likely to be open to change, to new things, to different possibilities and, most importantly, to the possibility that they’ve been wrong. This is a fixed mindset and perspective.

Admitting an incorrect perspective can be a hard pill to swallow. Anyone who has been confronted with new things and felt any sort of angst within — all of us have — and have a high level of inner awareness knows this.

There are degrees to this experience. Those living in a higher consciousness state will experience far less of this cognitive dissonance than those living at, and resonating with, the lower levels of consciousness.

What’s the Point

The reason I write about this is to shed some light on the reality that there are reasons for our behaviors and perspectives. Whether you fall into the Fixed Mindset or the Growth Mindset, change is possible. Reevaluation of new information is always preferable, rather than simply dismissing concepts which are new to you without first considering them with openness.

Understanding your spiritual nature and the impact your current state of consciousness has on your life is critical to your ability to make changes, especially massive changes to your life and life experiences. We all make numerous choices each day, some minor and others of great potential consequence.

Sometimes, we do not realize the potential impact a choice may have on our future. A choice that seems minor in the moment may come back to haunt you for the rest of your days in the physical world and, perhaps, beyond.

To make better choices and improve your life experiences, inner awareness of the duality within is helpful, if not mandatory. Learn to recognize the voices of the True Self and the Ego self. Doing this will open you to a broader perspective and lead to different choices, new experiences and, most importantly, a better and more fulfilling life.

Without placing a judgment on either perspective, fixed mindset or growth mindset, it is clear that being open to change and growth is a choice that will lead to greater wisdom.

Make your choices wisely.