Whether you believe you can or you can't you're right.

Have you ever thought of how true this statement by Henry Ford is? And have you ever reflected on how well your mindset serves you? Mindset can be understood as the way our mind is set when it comes to our assumptions, beliefs, expectations, explanations, and goals.

 

This blog not only provides you the space to reflect on your current mindset but it also discusses the importance of developing a growth mindset. This blog will offer you tips on how to cultivate mindsets that serve you and how to change the way your mind works, if you decide that you can use a little upgrade of thinking. Ready? (MIND)Set, go!

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Do you believe in the power of a positive mindset? Great, because we will explore the science behind it. Alia Crum defines mindset as core assumptions shaping our expectations, impacting everything from health to success. So, what does it mean? Your mindset influences what you focus on, how you feel, and what you do.

 

Moving on to benefits, do you tackle challenges head-on or avoid them? Research shows our mindset in different life areas affects our well-being. The bottom line: our beliefs shape our world.

 

There are two main areas I would like to lead our focus on. The importance of developing a growth mindset and positive psychological capital (Dweck, 2007 and Luthans & Broad 2022).

 

Why is it important for you?

The benefits of cultivating the right mindset for students' well-being are explored, questioning individuals' tendencies toward challenges, effort, optimism, and various life domains. It can be very beneficial for you to become aware of your mindsets, assess their impact, and adopt thinking patterns that serve you better.

 

Let’s explore different areas and determinants of your mindset, along with theories and practical tools to enhance your well-being.

 

Would you be interested in building your mindset?
 

Do you want to cultivate a growth mindset, see setbacks as opportunities, and enhance your optimistic outlook? If yes, this blog is for you. Let me introduce you to the concept of Psychological Capital, focusing on building a positive psychological state characterized by high levels of HERO: Hope, (Self-)Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism.

 

But first, let me ask you a question. What do you understand about economic capital? Oxford dictionary defines capital as „Material or financial wealth, accumulated by an individual or a company, that can be used to generate income.“ This refers to what we have and it is quite easy to understand. The very same way we can look at human capital, but instead of wealth, we refer to accumulated experiences, skills, and knowledge. We talk about what we know. As well as about who we know, in our social capital referring to our social network, support and people in your life. But what is our psychological capital? It refers to who we are. How hopeful we are, how capable we believe we are, how resilient we are and what is our level of optimism. Summarized in a great acronym HERO (H)ope + (E)fficacy + (R)esilience + (O)ptimism. Interesting, right? Well, continue reading!

 

Psychological Capital: How to develop our HERO within and some tips from my newest book Well-being and Success for University Students (Kočí & Donaldson, 2024).

 

Tips

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Hope

Defined as a feeling of trust and expectation for a particular thing to happen. Learn to set realistic goals, identify strengths and weaknesses, and proactively work toward your goals.

 

(Efficacy) Confidence in Yourself

Develop confidence through proactive goal setting, emphasizing task mastery, modeling, social persuasion, and positive feedback.
 

Resilience

The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Strengthen resilience by identifying strengths and weaknesses, quickly deploying assets during adversity, and proactively strategizing to overcome obstacles.

 

Optimism

Foster positive thinking by adopting an optimistic explanatory style. Focus on positive aspects of failures, own and generalize successes, see misfortune as temporary, and maintain some control over situations.

But is our HERO enough? I would like to invite you focus on two more strategies.

Look forward to the future, plan for short-term and long-term goals, visualize success, and anticipate obstacles. Focusing on your future rather than ruminating on your past contributes to your overall well-being and maximizes your Future Orientation (Prospection). Have not I forgotten anything? Absolutely. One last area we need to cover, and it is your Growth Mindset.
 

Distinguish between fixed and growth mindsets. Cultivate a growth mindset by embracing challenges, persisting in the face of obstacles, recognizing effort as a path to success, valuing feedback, and finding inspiration in the success of others.

 

So, what can be our take home message? Building your HERO within involves self-awareness, practicing self-talk that encourages you, and a focus on both present and future well-being. It is about adopting a mindset that fuels your personal and educational growth.

 

Enjoy the process and all the positive changes your new mindset will generate for you!

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References:

Kočí, J. (2024). Building Well-being of University Students. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, Pedagogická fakulta. ISBN 978-80-7603-506-5.

Koci, J. & Donaldson, S. I. (2024). Well-being and Success of University Students: Applying PERMA+4. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN: 9781032457185; DOI: 10.4324/9781003378365.

Koci, J. (2023). How to build well-being in university and college students – Methodology of academic well-being promotion. Prague: Charles University. ISBN: 978-80-87489-38-3.

Koci, J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2022). Zdraví a mentální well-being studentů distančního vzdělávání. Prague: Charles University. ISBN: 978-80-7603-357-3.