The growth mindset is a way of thinking that says we evolve and develop over time. It states that we are not fixed and static. To be successful in business, you need to adopt this mindset so that you can continue to learn and grow. An important element of this mindset is charting your own progress.

A Feedback Loop for Success

How do you know if you’re growing? One of the key ways is to chart your progress. This means identifying each milestone and recognising when you’ve reached it. 

This milestone offers proof that you’re growing and shows that you can change over time, while at the same time showing that you’re making progress towards achieving your goals. It serves as a kind of positive feedback loop. Each milestone provides you with more evidence of your growth; this in turn helps you keep pushing ahead and setting the next milestone.

Create a Digital Success Folder

How do you chart your progress? When teaching students to learn with a growth mindset, teachers encourage them to keep a success folder. You can do this too with a digital success folder. Save screenshots or files somewhere for completed projects you’ve done. Include anything you consider an achievement. You can use this material for motivation when you need it. It offers evidence of how far you’ve come.

Learn to Set Better Goals

The way you set your goals can make a difference in your development. In order to set a milestone you’ll achieve, it has to be SMART: 

• Specific – Identify exactly how you will know once the goal is achieved.
• Measurable – Attach some numbers so you can easily measure it.
• Actionable – Break it down into the steps needed to reach it.
• Realistic – It needs to be something you can achieve.
• Timely – Set a deadline for when you’ll do it.

With clearly defined milestones, you’ll know for sure when you reach them, and they’ll be more effective in both reaching your goals and charting your progress.

Reframe How You View Mistakes

A key to the growth mindset is reframing how you think about mistakes. Mistakes aren’t failures; they’re learning experiences. They won't impede your growth. They’re a necessary part of growth just like successes. If you understand this, you can take action toward goals and more easily reach your milestones. 

Charting Your Progress Is Important Work

Successful people chart their progress as a matter of course. It becomes a habit. But if you want to adopt the growth mindset, you have to make it an intentional part of your business. This means setting aside time for strategic planning and taking the time to learn new skills and techniques. Put time on your calendar to set goals, review results, and remind yourself how far you’ve come by referring back to your digital success file.  

Want to break through the #1 mindset block standing in the way of business owners’ success (fear of rejection)?

Then be sure to sign up for my Mastering Self-Acceptance mini-course.

Over 6 weeks, it will help you become more secure in who you are and what you have to offer, so it feels safer to show up and share that with the world.