We’ve all heard of “growth mindsets,” but what does it really mean? Here’s a definition:

A belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through effort, hard work and guidance from others.

I first heard about it in the book Mindset by Carol Dweck, a Stanford professor who coined the term back in 2006. In her research, she found the growth mindset was the #1 predictor of long-term success.

Now you might think, well duh, of course people believe they can improve themselves. Ahhh, but that’s actually NOT the case.

Many people believe for many different reasons, they can’t improve.

Look at the current conditions in the wedding industry. It’s tough out there, and will be for a while.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the down market is an explanation for why it’s harder to fill your calendar, but it’s not an excuse.

Someone with a growth mindset sees the challenge in today’s industry and wonders, how will I adapt to the new environment in order to achieve my goals. 

The opposite is a fixed mindset. They see the exact same scenario, and think, well crap, I hope things get better soon so I can fill my calendar or raise my prices.

Today, I bring on to the podcast one of my dearest friends in the wedding world, Anja Winikka, former right hand to the founder of The Knot, industry innovator, and CEO of Freeda, a new kind of community for established wedding pros who want genuine community with other wedding pros. 

I always feel better about the world when I hear what Anja has to say about things. I know you will too.