Our mindset shapes how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us. It influences how we approach challenges, opportunities, and personal growth. In our latest webinar, Breaking Free from Destructive Mindsets, we explored how cognitive flexibility can help shift our thinking toward a more adaptive and growth-oriented perspective.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in negative thought loops or struggled with self-doubt, this webinar is for you! Below is a breakdown of key insights from the session, but be sure to check out the full webinar for an in-depth discussion.
Understanding Mindsets
Mindsets are mental frameworks that influence how we interpret experiences and respond to challenges. They act as a lens, shaping our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The webinar focused on three primary mindsets:
- Destructive Mindsets – Reinforce negative thought cycles, prevent adaptation to change, and create mental barriers.
- Fixed Mindsets – The belief that abilities and intelligence are static and cannot improve with effort.
- Growth Mindsets – The belief that skills and intelligence can develop with practice and persistence.
How Mindsets Shape Our Experiences
Mindsets influence us in three key ways:
- Perceptions – They act as a filter, shaping our judgments about people, situations, and what we believe is possible.
- Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors – They affect how we emotionally react, process information, and make decisions.
- Approach to Challenges – Mindsets impact resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.
A destructive mindset can make setbacks feel insurmountable, while a growth mindset allows us to reframe challenges as learning opportunities.
Recognizing Destructive Mindsets
Destructive mindsets can manifest in various ways, such as:
- Rumination – Obsessing over past mistakes without learning from them.
- Resistance to Change – Avoiding new opportunities due to fear.
- All-or-Nothing Thinking – Viewing situations in extremes with no middle ground.
- Self-Sabotage – Doubting oneself to the point of inaction or failure.
Shirzad Chamine’s concept of Saboteurs in Positive Intelligence highlights how these mindsets can trick us into believing they are necessary for success, even when they are actively holding us back.
Example: The Power of Mindset in Public Speaking
Imagine you’ve been asked to give a presentation, but public speaking makes you uncomfortable. Your mindset determines how you respond:
- Fixed Mindset – “I’m just not good at public speaking, and I never will be.” → Avoids preparing, leading to poor performance.
- Destructive Mindset – “This is going to be a disaster no matter what.” → Engages in negative self-talk, increasing anxiety and avoidance.
- Growth Mindset – “I’m not confident yet, but I can improve with practice.” → Seeks resources, practices, and focuses on progress over perfection.
A growth mindset leads to better outcomes and increased confidence over time.
Mindsets Are Not Permanent—They Can Be Changed
Mindsets are not fixed; they can shift depending on different areas of life. You may have a growth mindset in your career but a fixed mindset in social situations. The key to changing mindsets is developing self-monitoring and cognitive flexibility:
- Self-Monitoring – The ability to recognize which mindset you’re using in a given situation.
- Cognitive Flexibility – The ability to shift perspectives and adapt your thinking.
Together, these skills help us break free from destructive patterns and move toward a more constructive way of thinking.
Strategies for Identifying and Shifting Mindsets
Before we can change our mindset, we must first recognize when it is holding us back. Here are some self-reflection questions:
- What story am I telling myself about this situation?
- Am I focused on what I can control or what I can’t?
- Do I see setbacks as failures or learning opportunities?
- How do I respond to constructive criticism—defensiveness or curiosity?
Practical Techniques to Build Cognitive Flexibility
Improving cognitive flexibility helps us escape destructive thought patterns. Some ways to build this skill include:
- Perspective-Taking – Consider how a mentor or outsider might view your situation.
- Brainstorming Alternatives – Generate multiple solutions to a problem, even if some seem unrealistic.
- Breaking Routines – Small habit changes (e.g., using your non-dominant hand) help rewire thought patterns.
- Mindfulness Practices – Observing thoughts without judgment can reveal underlying rigid thinking.
- Language Awareness – Replace “I can’t” with “I haven’t figured it out yet.”
By practicing these strategies regularly, we strengthen our ability to approach situations with an open and adaptive mindset.
Final Thoughts: Language Matters
The words we use—both in conversation and our internal dialogue—play a huge role in reinforcing mindsets. Saying “I’m terrible at this” versus “I’m still learning this skill” creates vastly different outcomes.
Our internal monologue can either build us up or tear us down. Writing down self-limiting thoughts and reframing them into positive, actionable statements can be a powerful way to shift our mindset.
Watch the Full Webinar!
This post only scratches the surface of what we covered in the webinar. For a deeper dive into breaking free from destructive mindsets and harnessing cognitive flexibility, watch the full session here.
If you have questions or want to learn more about executive function coaching, feel free to reach out!
Remember: Change takes time. While shifting to a growth mindset may seem simple, it is not always easy. Be patient with yourself, challenge negative thought patterns, and take small steps toward building a more flexible and adaptive mindset. Your future self will thank you!
