Let’s start with some definitions.
The dictionary defines Mindset as A person’s usual attitude or mental state.
Obviously, the KEY word here is USUAL. In other words, it is not something you pretend to be for a day or two; or something you put on only during an important presentation or only when your boss is around (although that may work for a while!).
A mindset is how you are being all the time.
It is also important to understand that mindset is not something you are born with. It is something you cultivate.
A skill set, on the other hand, is a collection of knowledge, abilities and experience that you need to get a job done. Examples are things like Accounting, Carpentry, Computer programming, Management, Human Relations etc.
Let me give you an example that may help you understand the difference better.
True story – I once made a New Years resolution to become fitter and healthier and to help me achieve that, I purchased a gym membership.
I hadn’t worked out in years and it all seemed a bit strange to me on my first visit to the place. I worked with a trainer who helped me create a workout plan that would help me reach my goals. It was a combination of using several machines, working out different muscle groups, on different days, in a specific order etc etc. It took me a week or so to learn it and execute it flawlessly without having to go to my ‘notes’. Yeah!! I just acquired a new skill set.
I’m going to be honest though! Going to the gym every day and working out was (and is) not my favorite thing in the world. Sure, I still want to get fitter and healthier, but things started to get in the way. Sometimes it was my work, sometimes it was family obligations, sometimes it was the Super Bowl, sometimes I wasn’t feeling good…. you get the idea. Pretty soon, my focus on getting fitter and healthier started diminishing until one day I didn’t go. Then I didn’t go the day after and soon I quit. And… it was still the last week of January!.
What happened here? To put it plainly, I just didn’t have a good mindset. I started things off with a great attitude, but it was not good enough for long enough.
What could I have done differently? In hindsight, maybe I could have made it part of a schedule in a way that would make slacking off impossible. Develop a routine.
Maybe I should have kept my focus on the goals (fitness and health) and found a way to remind myself every day why I needed to workout. It is so easy to just ignore that voice in our heads and do the easy thing. A winning mindset depends on forcing yourself to do uncomfortable things
The truth is you don’t have to like something to be good at it. In fact, I can guarantee that most successful people would say that the things that they do consistently, the things that bring them their success are not things that they necessarily like. But they recognize the importance of doing those things and have worked on it and successfully incorporated them into their lives . Those things have become part of their USUAL attitude.
On the other hand, your skills are what land you a job. You can talk about them and prove that you have them in an interview. The thing about skill sets though is that they are relatively easily acquired. As a result, skills are in plentiful supply. Skills can also get redundant. The skills that you require can change as you get promoted.
Mindset, on the other hand, is hidden. You may have the same skill sets as many others, but with the right mindset you can get more results from those skills. Your improved performance will be there for everyone to see, but what caused the higher level of performance remains invisible.
I would go so far as to say that if you have the right mindset, acquiring new skills becomes so much more easier.
So….. what is YOUR mindset? HOW are YOU being ?
Disclosure: Inspired by the book “Mindset of Success” by Jo Owens among others.