It’s easy to think that people blessed with brains are inevitably going to leave the rest of us in the dust. However, the latest studies from Stanford University, summarised in this article, show that your attitude is a better predictor of your success than your IQ.

In particular, people’s core attitudes fall into one of two categories: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Those with a growth mindset believe that they can improve with effort. They outperform those with a fixed mindset, even when they have a lower IQ, because they embrace challenges, treating them as opportunities to learn something new.

There are some strategies that will fine-tune your mindset and help you make certain it’s as growth oriented as possible:

  1. Don’t stay helpless
  2. Be passionate
  3. Take action
  4. Go the extra mile (or two)
  5. Expect results
  6. Be flexible
  7. Don’t complain when things don’t go your way

Image source: EffortJM Fumeau (CC BY-ND 2.0)