Change your words or change your mindset: What comes first?
For many people, change starts with changing the words you use. But for others, it’s about changing the mindset that certain kinds of language are speaking to them.
It is a long-standing joke that many people like to tell that all you need to change your life is a new word in your lexicon. Such claims rarely hold true for everyone, but when it comes to writing, the fact remains that what we write can bring tremendous changes in our lives and those close to us.
Change your words, change your mindset is a meme of the growth mindset movement that maybe sending the wrong message in my own opinion. Let’s take a deeper look at what your words mean, and what kind of impact they can have.
The Power of Words
Words are powerful little things. They can have enormous influence on our lives, both on the most personal level and on the geopolitical level, too. Sometimes change comes from more than just changing your words; sometimes it is about changing your mindset to be more accepting of different ways that things are. Sometimes it is about changing your words, but also about changing your thoughts and beliefs about them.
Let’s take an example that troubles me every time I read it: the power of words to influence our lives can lead people to believe that black people are more criminal than white people. It is not necessarily that the people believe this, but they may choose to believe this language. That just shows how certain words and phrases can have such a powerful effect on our minds.
The Power of Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is the idea that being more open to new experiences can create greater success. For example, in life, this could mean that you would choose a smaller house instead of a bigger one, or it could mean you would go for and choose a job that was more challenging than what you are currently doing.
Abstract concepts such as the power of words and growth mindset are not necessarily tied to each other; they do not have to be related at all in order to still have an impact on people’s lives. In fact, I have found it is these kinds of concepts that serve as the most important things in my life. And I’ve also found it is these kinds of concepts that I am able to write the most about.
Similarities to the chicken or the egg
By analyzing the above sentence even further, it becomes clear that change in one direction must be preceded by change in the other direction. Language could be the first to change, and the mind a mere consequence of those changes. The problem is that many people actually believe that these kinds of drastic changes can come first; they might not necessarily be holding back their growth mindset.
Let’s look at a few things we have thought and said before:
“Be more decisive. Change your words, and you’ll change your mindset. Then you will be decisive.”
“Be more decisive! Change your words, and you’ll change your mindset. Then you will be more decisive.”
“Change your mindset to be more decisive. Change your words, and then you will be more decisive. “
The first option is the growth mindset version of change your words, change your mindset. The second one is the growth mindset version of change your mindset to be more decisive. But in my opinion, the last one that includes both changes to create a more cohesive idea.
The Power of Our Minds
I firmly believe that neither of these concepts can work without changing both ways. For us to achieve that kind of change requires more than just a growth mindset, but also a willingness to change our words. It is important to realize though that the order the changes occur in is not really too important.
For example, if you read enough about the power of words and of growth mindset, maybe you just start using these new ways of speaking in your everyday life. This can bring about a huge shift in your mindset, and perhaps then your words as well will start to change as a result of it.
Understanding growth mindset and the power of changing your words
To understand this concept lets go through some sentences that are fixed mindset orientated and then shift them towards a growth mindset framing.
“I cannot learn new things” – Fixed Mindset
“It might be difficult at first to learn this but with persistence I can learn” – Growth Mindset
“This is too hard for me” – Fixed Mindset
“It takes a bit of time to get it, but I can do it” – Growth Mindset
As you can see with these two examples , the first sentence has a fixed mindset. It doesn’t really take a lot to imagine the second one as well. The difference is that the second example uses a growth mindset, and it allows you to realize that you can learn this new thing your way. You might be able to do it in your own way and not necessarily like others, but it is still possible.
I believe this is why change comes first from both sides, or a shift in both directions. To change to a growth mindset, you need to first accept the possibility of change in your words and in your thoughts.
7 Tips to Change Your Words to Change Your Mindset
The following tips will help you begin to change your mindset in order to have more confidence in your words.
1. Be more open minded
Sometimes we say things before thinking and are not too open to new experiences. We also might not be open to learning new things. If we are more willing to learn new things and be open minded, it will be easier to see the world differently.
2. Persist in what you believe
If you believe something is true, then truly believe it in yourself. There is a big difference between believing something and actually believing in that belief. If you believe something is true, then you will learn to recognize it in yourself. And this can then lead to the words you are using in your everyday life changing as well.
3. Try different things and see if they work for you
By asking yourself questions and by trying to do different things, your mind will be open to new experiences and will change your thoughts about those experiences as well. This can help create more growth mindset in you by changing the words that come out of your mouth.
4. Say things you don’t mind saying
By having more confidence in your words, you will be capable of putting more thought into thoughts and words. When you have less confidence in your words, it might be difficult for people to trust what you are saying as well. But if you actually believe something, and have a growth mindset about it, everyone will notice that about what you are saying.
5. Don’t be afraid to say things that you have doubts about
One thing that people who have a growth mindset are more capable of doing, is putting themselves out in front of others and saying things that might not always be intentional. This might also create more growth mindset in you. When you have a fixed mindset, it can be difficult for you to think about putting yourself out there in front of others.
6. Be more aware of what you say
In order to have more growth mindset, one must be more aware of what they are saying. This could be by listening to others, communicating with others and also by thinking before you speak. By being more aware, you will take in information that might shift your mindset over time.
7. See the world differently by using different words
By using different words when you are talking to yourself or writing down things in your journal, it will help your mindset shift into a new area as well. There are some words and sentences that you have repeated over time. If you see these phrases as a part of your fixed mindset, it can be difficult for it to shift. But by changing your words to more growth mindset, it can shift in your favor.
Summary
The power of changing your words is no doubt a very powerful tool . When you combine it with a growth mindset, it becomes even more powerful. By speaking to yourself in a growth mindset way, you are changing the words that come out of your mouth. These words will become positive and empowering for you.
After using this concept for about three months, it had a huge shift in my world view. I began to change my mindset because of the words that I was using. The words I used to speak to myself were now more positive and encouraged growth. They also created an environment for more successful people and more success in my life as well. This was by changing my mindset in a way where I believed in myself and learned new things quickly.
This is something that anyone can do for themselves, especially if they are willing to put some change into it as well. It is great to have a growth mindset, but that is not enough by itself. You need to really make yourself believe in it as well, and use it in your everyday life. So I hope this article will be able to help you do that.
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