When has your mindset failed you?
After my last post, several people reached out to me, realising that their mindset wasn’t helping but holding them back.
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Mindset is everything’. And yes, the right mindset can be powerful. It can shape how we respond to pressure, how we move through setbacks, how we show up each day, and ultimately the outcomes we achieve.
But what happens when we get so focused on cultivating the ‘right’ mindset that we stop questioning it altogether?
Because a mindset without reflection or critical thinking has the potential to lead us astray. Whether it’s clinging to outdated beliefs, fearing tools like AI, or mistaking confidence for truth, sometimes the strongest move we can make is to challenge our own mindset.
And often, it’s not the mindset itself that’s the issue, it’s our unwillingness to let it evolve.
Rethinking the ‘Right’ Mindset
Adam Grant’s book Think Again challenged the way we talk about mindset. He reminded us that the smartest people don’t always have all the answers, often they just ask better questions… They think like scientists by forming hypotheses, testing ideas, and staying open to new evidence. And they’re willing to be wrong (based on evidence of course).
This kind of curiosity shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of progress or a weakness. In fact, in leadership, in life, and in our own inner world, growth often requires us to rethink what we’ve always believed. That’s not a weakness but a strength. Because it usually means we’re learning something new.
That might mean asking yourself:
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Is this still serving me?
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Where did this belief come from?
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Is it based on truth or fear?
Because the mindset that got you here may not get you there. And that’s okay.
The Case for Critical Thinking
With so much misinformation circulating online and growing uncertainty around technologies like AI, it’s easy to react. But now more than ever, we need to slow down and think more deeply. We must become more discerning, not just of what we consume, but of what we believe and repeat.
Alarmist headlines, sweeping claims based on tiny studies, the viral hot takes are everywhere. And they’re persuasive. Because typically they’re selling fear. But if we want to be the kind of leaders and humans who actually create change, we need to stop reacting and start thinking…
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report (yes I’m referencing it again), some of the most in-demand skills of the future are thinking-based (see image below). Specifically analytical thinking, creative thinking, curiosity and learning, resilience, and systems thinking.
So clearly it’s not enough to be driven or optimistic anymore. We need to be wise too. By seeking out diverse perspectives or being open to feedback even when it challenges our existing views. Especially in a world increasingly shaped by tools trained on public data and are known to make things up!
Just ask the US lawyer who used ChatGPT in court and ended up citing fake cases.
People fear the automation of thinking. But machines aren’t here to replace our minds but expand them. The real danger isn’t in the technology itself, but in assuming it can think for us. What’s harder, and more human, is catching ourselves in the moments we fall into biases, assumptions, outdated norms, or limiting beliefs. That’s where true critical thinking starts.
And in some ways that’s the irony – AI can give us more space for deep thinking not replace it. But only if we don’t outsource the thinking altogether.
What Does a Strong Mindset Actually Look Like?
It’s not rigid. It’s not relentless. It’s not about always being right or always being positive.
It’s about:
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Staying open to changing your mind.
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Being willing to update your opinions.
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Questioning the stories you’re told, and the ones you tell yourself!
You build this kind of mindset by surrounding yourself with people who challenge your thinking and point out your blind spots. By seeking out voices that don’t look or sound like your own. By digging beneath the headline, evaluating the evidence, and questioning the credibility of your sources. By considering the alternates and asking ‘yes but?’ especially when the answer challenges your comfort zone.
Perhaps the goal isn’t to have the ‘right’ mindset. Maybe it’s building one that’s curious and flexible instead – willing to grow, adjust, and make better decisions in an increasingly complex world.
So, what would a challenge to your mindset change for you?
