Your Mindset Called… It Wants Sprinkles!
Let’s be honest, no one wakes up saying, “Today, I feel like being painfully average.”
But sometimes, without even knowing it, we’re walking around with the energetic flavour profile of plain vanilla soft serve in a soggy cone.
Enter: The Fixed Mindset.
Meanwhile, on the other side of life’s gelato stand, there's this ridiculously over-the-top creation, picture a double swirl of strawberry, cotton candy twist, with a splash of dark chocolate drizzle, confetti sprinkles, a biscuit wedge and a cheeky little umbrella just because.
That, my friend, is a Growth Mindset. And your brain loves it.
🍦 Fixed Mindset: The Classic Cone
You know it when you see it: predictable, tidy, no surprises. A fixed mindset believes:
- "You either have it, or you don’t."
- "Mistakes = failure."
- "If I’m not good at it now, I never will be."
This mindset isn’t about lack of intelligence, it’s about fear. Fear of failure, rejection, discomfort and (let’s be real) looking silly on the internet.
Neuroscience backs it: when stuck in a fixed mindset, the brain activates its threat response to challenge. Instead of seeing effort as a path to mastery, it treats it like danger.
Red alert! Someone’s trying something new!
So instead, we play it safe. We keep things “vanilla.”
🍨 Growth Mindset: The Fully Loaded Sundae
Cue sprinkles. A growth mindset is where the magic happens.
- “I’m not there yet, but I can learn.”
- “Mistakes are part of progress.”
- “Stretching myself is how I grow.”
Here’s the juicy neuroscience:
Your brain, thanks to neuroplasticity, is literally rewiring itself every time you try, fail, adapt and keep going. Learning changes your brain. That’s not a metaphor.
That’s MRI-certified.
And like that deluxe waffle cone, this mindset isn’t just prettier, it’s richer, more adventurous and undeniably satisfying.
🧠 Here’s the Scoop (Science Says...):
- Carol Dweck, the queen of mindset research, found that kids praised for effort (not talent) were more resilient and adventurous.
- When we embrace mistakes, the prefrontal cortex activates more strongly, meaning the brain is literally trying to problem-solve and grow.
- Even short bursts of adopting a growth mindset can lead to increased motivation, better coping strategies, and long-term goal achievement.
🍧 So Why Do We Keep Reaching for Vanilla?
Because it’s safe. It doesn’t drip on your hand or smudge your lipstick. But it also doesn’t thrill your senses or push your boundaries.
Staying in a fixed mindset feels familiar, but it's not where the magic lives.
No one tells stories about the time they stayed comfortable.
🍓 Add Some Sprinkles to Your Thinking
Ready to upgrade your mental cone? Try this:
- Swap “I can’t do this” for “I can’t do this yet.”
- Celebrate flops, each one is a neuron doing pushups.
- Surround yourself with growth flavours, people, podcasts, books and conversations that stretch you.
- Let it get messy, growth is rarely tidy, but always worth it.
Take the Mindset Flavour Quiz:
P.S. This isn’t school, it’s ice cream. There are no wrong answers, just flavours, fun and a scoop of self-awareness.
💬 Final Thought:
If your mindset were an ice-cream today, what flavour would it be?
And more importantly…
What’s stopping you from ordering the sundae?
“Be the reason someone adds toppings today.” – Unknown (but probably someone fabulous)
