Growth Mindset Almost Means Nothing Without the Right Environment

I used to think a growth mindset was everything. They teach you that in schools, business programs, even in all those self-help books everyone seems to read nowadays. I remember this professor, some years ago, talking about how we were able to shape our very futures with our minds, thus pushing beyond what we knew and reaching new heights. At the time, I strongly believed in this view; as a matter of fact, I still do. But come to think of it, I was a little naive.

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You can't just will your way to success. I was at East legon for a conference some weeks ago, being surrounded by people who had it all, more success, influence, and wealth than I'd ever imagined. And I kept asking myself: am I really any less talented? Less driven?

The difference was simple, they were in a place that encouraged big ideas and rewarded them. I'm from a place where ambition is almost suspicious, where the sky's supposed to be the limit, but really it's just a ceiling. Guess what, no matter how you try to shape your own thoughts consciously, you environment might rewire it unconsciously.

We obviously can't ignore the environment around us, but we can find one that truly matches our ambition.

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