Four Powerful Mindset Shifts to Elevate Your Life

1. Change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset

“Can white people join?” I called the NAACP San Diego branch and got the President on the phone. I felt so uncomfortable and weird. I am talking to the lady I see in the press all of the time. She is smart and charismatic and I am not. So many things were going through my mind: Was I asking a dumb question? Is this question a micro-aggression? I want to help but I don’t want to be a “white savior.” What can I do to help? I don’t have any special skills. It was 2020 and I, like many others, was sparked to do something. Thankfully, I was welcomed with open arms. I have met wonderful people from being part of this association and have been able to do the work needed to help to make our world a better place for everyone. I cannot imagine not being part of the NAACP. Had I not made that one really awkward and uncomfortable phone call, I would have missed out on so much. Happiness isn‘t always comfortable. Sometimes we need to step outside our comfort zone to truly grow.

One of the most impactful mindset shifts you can make is moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. A fixed mindset assumes that your abilities, intelligence, and talents are static—they’re either something you have or you don’t. In contrast, a growth mindset recognizes that these qualities can be developed with effort, learning, and persistence. This shift allows you to see challenges as opportunities to grow rather than threats to avoid. Instead of fearing failure, you start to embrace it as a stepping stone to success. By believing in your capacity to improve and adapt, you’ll open yourself up to new possibilities and achieve more than you ever thought possible.

2. Be Curious. Not Envious.

Envy, when approached with the right mindset, can be a powerful motivator for personal growth. Instead of letting it breed resentment, use it as a signal to identify what you truly value or aspire to achieve. When you feel envy, take a moment to reflect: What is it about that person or their success that you admire? By turning envy into curiosity and inspiration, you can transform it into a learning opportunity. Study their journey, habits, or strategies, and use those insights to fuel your growth. In this way, envy becomes less about comparison and more about discovering what’s possible for yourself. And, remember when scrolling though social media, what Steven Furtick reminds us:

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone’s highlight reel.” -Steven Furtick

3. Let Go of Labels

When we had our first child, we scoured books on how to raise a well-adjusted child. One of the best things I read was that your child can live up to, or down to, your expectations. When you have low expectations of a child, it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where they may internalize those expectations and perform in ways that align with them. Labels can be extremely destructive. Letting go of labels helps us break free from the limitations we place on ourselves. When we identify too strongly with labels—whether it’s a career title, personality trait, or societal expectation—we risk losing sight of our full potential and the complexity of who we truly are. Without labels, we allow ourselves to evolve, explore new interests, and adapt to different circumstances. This freedom encourages us to view ourselves as dynamic and multi-faceted, not confined to a single definition. By releasing these labels, we create space for greater self-acceptance, flexibility, and the ability to pursue a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.

“What we think, we become.”-Buddha