Take the box outside your way of thinking.

In other words, don't let your mindset restrain you. Don't settle for the way you think right now. Challenge your mindset. Train it. Shape it to suit you better.

I'll give a few examples of thinking "inside the box." Perhaps you've heard opinions (or have your own) that switching to another career path is "impossible" or "too late right now." Or, starting to train for a 5K marathon is "ludicrous" or "foolish for someone your age." Or, moving to a new city for a job opportunity is "dangerous" and "isolating, because you don't know anyone there."

If you've heard these types of statements, you're not alone. We've all been on the receiving end of these opinions or "rules" from a young age, when we started getting socialized and learned how other people get things done so we too can repeat the same. We heard similar words uttered by people around us like our parents, grandparents, neighbors, family friends, teachers and other students in school. Language like "you cannot do this" or "don't do this, it's dangerous" or "that's not for you, you're a girl" gets absorbed by a young brain every time it's repeated. It then becomes part of a "fixed mindset" — where you believe you are limited to the abilities, talents, and skills you're born with.

But that's not true!

In reality, our brain is capable of developing a growth mindset — believing that we can accomplish whatever we want to do as long as we continuously make an effort to practice, improve, and gain knowledge of a specific skill.

A big part of the growth mindset is learning something new and learning it in a different way from just reading a textbook in school. It can be finding out a small detail that made you curious. How did he do that? Is this possible? How can I find out how to do it too?When you're curious, you want to learn new things all the time. it doesn't matter if you're 10, 45, or 85. It's just a matter of what type of mindset you have.

Now on the practical side of things: how can you train your brain to think outside the box?

Give yourself the space to be curious.

Curiosity can go a long way. You can nurture your curiosity if you learn something new every day, whether it's about the history of the world, how things work, which foods and activities keep you healthy, which habits help you work smarter or faster, or which books you can read that will teach you something valuable. The important thing is make learning a part of your everyday life. Instead of sticking to what you already know, keep a space open in your mind to allow new information in.

Replace saying, "I can't do this!" with "Why not try?"

It's a subtle mind trick you play on yourself that can have long-term results. Instead of giving in to a bout of procrastination, you get proactive about something by just giving yourself the option to do it. First, you need to deal with procrastination itself. Start by looking at the source: is there anything hiding behind your procrastination? For example, maybe you're fearful that you will not be able to do something successfully, even perfectly. Then, practice the "Why not try?" approach so that you leave some space open for possibilities. it doesn't mean you'll instantly become a pro at doing something, but you should signal to your brain that it's OK to be able to at least try it.

Zoom out of the problem to find out your real WHY.

Zooming out means pausing in the middle of a situation to take stock of where you're at and see the big picture. It's an excellent time to think, Wait a minute. Remember why you're doing this in the first place? This exercise will remind you that your actions are directly linked to something you really want — a personal goal, a desired outcome, a skill you want to have, etc. Maybe you're dedicating hours of practicing guitar to fulfill a dream of becoming a musician in a band. Or you are studying for exams to get a degree that will allow you to gain financial independence. Or, you're looking for a job that is better for your career than the one you've had for the past five years. It helps to ask yourself, Why is this challenge so important to me? What is at the core? What will I gain from solving it? What will this mean to my life in the long run?

Take advantage of every obstacle you come across.

In his book Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual, Jocko Willink has a power tip for how to deal with obstacles. He suggests that when you reach an obstacle, instead of saying, Oh no! you should embrace it and say, Good! Why position an obstacle in a positive light? It's a subtle switch of your mindset, but can make a huge difference in how you react to a potentially problematic situation. If you've failed at an exam, good!You'll have more time to prepare and organize your study days more effectively. If you tried to do too many things at once at work and failed miserably at each one, good!You'll have time to regroup, take a break, and prioritize what is most important so you don't leave things unfinished. If you didn't get invited back for a follow-up job interview, good! You'll revamp your resume and apply for jobs that are a better fit for your skill set and work experience.

Resist the negative self-talk when it comes over you.

Sometimes it's that voice that you hear saying, I can't do this, it's too hard! If it is, just chalk it up to the negative fixed mindset talking — remember, it's the opposite of a growth mindset. You believe that your personality, skill set, and strengths are "fixed" i.e. you have them from birth, and that that's just how it is. You cannot change your way of thinking, you're this way forever, and there's no point in trying. In contrast, nurturing a growth mindset means you have patience towards yourself. You understand that you can cultivate additional strengths and skills through continuous efforts over a longer period of time. When the negative self-talk begins, ask yourself, Do I react negatively to things because I'm so used to reacting in that way? How could I change this reaction if I could start all over again?

📖 For more in-depth information about the power of mindsets, read Carol Dweck's book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

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