Mindset German - definition, tips and meaning

„Clearly, it's about a Changing the mindset.“ I probably hear this answer more often than any other when I ask my clients what the main objective of my presentation should be in the briefing discussion before a keynote speech. No other factor is as central when it comes to sustainable change in individuals or entire organizations as mindset. But mindset German? The term is on everyone's lips. I hear it every day from executives of successful companies, from lifestyle coaches on Instagram and even from my nine-year-old daughter, who told me before her last math test: „Learning the formulas isn't that important, dad. The mindset is much more important.“

Mindset German - What is the mindset actually?

And in fact, the term „mindset“ is currently used so frequently that it can actually be described as one of those popular buzzwords that you can't really hear anymore. But what exactly is mindset? Is it really just a meaningless term or a relevant success factor? As is so often the case, it all depends on what you make of it. Because of course there is a certain group of people who stick the label „mindset“ on pretty much everything that is possible, but don't really understand what the word actually means. The many self-proclaimed mindset coaches on social media send their regards.

But there is also the other, practical and future-oriented use. Pretty much all successful organizations, companies and brands that I have the privilege of working with have the topic of mindset at the top of their agenda. Because they have understood how important soft skills will be in the future and that the inner attitude is much more important than specialist knowledge or technical skills (which can be acquired at any time). But before we get too deep, let's first take a look at what exactly is behind the term mindset.

Mindset definition - what it is and why it is so important

The English term mindset is actually difficult to translate into German. In common parlance, it is often used synonymously with attitude, mindset or way of thinking. The online lexicon Wikipedia defines mindset as

„the English term for the German word Mentalität, which in turn [...] denotes a predominant psychological personality trait (predisposition) in the sense of a pattern of thought and behavior of a person or social group.“

For me, this definition does not go far enough. Based on my research for my books „Attitude - Success through the right inner attitude“ and „The Changemaker Mindset - How Innovation and Change starts with Inner Transformation“, the term mindset stands for the following:

„The mindset is based on our identity and is the sum of our values, beliefs, experiences, skills, personality traits, habits, decision-making strategies and our general attitude towards life. It is not so much what we do on a daily basis, but above all the way we do it and the purpose (emotional reason), i.e. the why and for what.“

Mindset Growth - The two types of inner attitude

Probably the best-known research work on the subject of mindset goes back to the American mentality and behavioral researcher Carol Dweck who in her book „Mindset - Changing the way you think to fulfill your potential“ speaks of a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

Fixed Mindset

According to Dweck, people with a fixed mindset assume that their talents, skills and ways of thinking are fixed characteristics that either exist or do not exist, but cannot be changed under any circumstances. People with a fixed mindset are generally characterized by the following characteristics:

You are not good at dealing with defeat
They avoid challenging situations for fear of failure
They often see themselves as untalented
They accept the status quo as unchangeable
They give up quickly when faced with difficulties

Growth mindset according to Carol Dweck

With a growth mindset, on the other hand, people assume that the factors described can be changed and improved if they train, learn and work on themselves sufficiently. People with a growth mindset are generally characterized by the following characteristics:

You are always willing to learn
They see mistakes as an opportunity to improve
They believe that will, dedication and hard work are more important than talent
You are curious, thirsty for knowledge and open to new things
They know their weaknesses, but are prepared to work on them
They accept that you have to make an effort if you want to develop personally

Change your mindset. Is that even possible?

So let's move on to the crucial question: is the mindset a given characteristic or can it actually be changed? The good news first: Yes, of course you can change your own mindset. But it is by no means as simple as you often read in self-help books, YouTube videos and Instagram posts. It is not just a short-term change from the old mindset to the new mindset, but rather a lifelong personal development that never really stops. I would therefore like to mention a few fundamental factors that are essential for a sustainable mindset shift:

Awareness: You can only change what you are aware of. The more aware you are of your own communication, your general focus, your impact, your openness and your attitude towards life, the easier the mindset shift will be.
OpennessThe phrase „We've always done it this way!“ should be a thing of the past from now on. Instead, a general openness to new ideas and new approaches is crucial. Because it is only in situations that we have never been in before that we grow and develop ourselves (and therefore our mindset).
FocusYes, life is full of problems. And these should never be ignored or hidden. Nevertheless, it is important to always focus on solutions and opportunities.
StaminaRome was not built in a day. The same applies to your mindset. There will be setbacks and you will doubt yourself. This is not only completely normal, but a necessity for personal development. In these moments, always remember: working on your mindset is a marathon, not a sprint.
Environment: No one wins alone. This also applies to changing our mindset. Because in the long term, the people in our immediate environment have an enormous effect on us. So look for people with a growth mindset who can influence you positively and serve as role models.
Positivity: And last but not least, the three most important rules of the mindset shift:
1. Always be positive.
2. Always be positive.
3. Always be positive.

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Mindset German - A positive attitude is NOT positive thinking!

The last point brings me to the relentless truth about one of the most important, but at the same time most controversial topics in connection with the mindset. I am talking about the positive thinking. Some have submitted to this philosophy unconditionally, while others condemn it completely and dismiss it as esoteric humbug. Of course, this has corresponding consequences.

While the supporters of the first variant simply ignore and smile away every problem with a permanent grin on their face, rose-colored glasses on their eyes and a naive trust in light and love, the opponents of positive thinking often become cynics whose glasses are half-empty, the skies full of dark clouds and everyday life is usually quite dreary. It is obvious that neither strategy is suitable for leading a happy life. Nevertheless, I hear one question again and again: „Is positive thinking good or bad?“

Forgive me if I don't give a direct answer to this, but I would like to point out a very common pitfall that can be seen here in its purest form:

If the question is wrong, then the answer doesn't matter.

This is precisely the case here. The question has a misleading focus and only focuses on one aspect of the big picture, namely thinking. At the same time, however, it ignores the other important factors: actions, habits and the general mindset with which we approach life and all its tasks. That's what it's all about, the fundamental orientation. And I have a very clear opinion about that:

Don't waste your life on negativity, be positive. Always.

The latest knowledge, the best skills and the most modern techniques are of absolutely no use to you if you go about your everyday life with a negative mindset. Conversely, this does not mean that you will automatically be successful with a positive mindset. No, a mindset focused on opportunities and possibilities inner attitude alone won't get you anywhere.

But with such a Attitude you can achieve anything better than with a negative attitude. I have been studying human behavior in all its facets for over twenty years. And not once have I come across someone who would have achieved positive results with a negative mindset. Put them to the test. Take a look around you. I bet you won't find a successful person whose DNA is polarized towards negativity. To the point:

A negative mindset and positive results are mutually exclusive.

Mindset meaning: The questions make the difference

So don't waste your time with negativity, but focus on the numerous opportunities and possibilities. Incidentally, this does not mean ignoring problems, not recognizing risks or ignoring other challenges. Quite the opposite. The trick is to recognize these situations and at the same time think in terms of possible solutions. The focus of your internal thought patterns is crucial. The quality of your questions determines the quality of your results. But what do they look like for you?

Over the last few years, I have compiled a list of questions that I hear again and again in my seminars and coaching sessions. Would you like a small sample? Here are my top 10:

The TOP 10 problem-oriented questions

Why does this always happen to me?
Why can't I manage to be successful?
Why doesn't anyone in the company like me?
Why can't I find my vision?
Why does it work for everyone else, but not for me?
Why am I not able to achieve my goals?
Why do I fail every time when it comes to something?
Why do I magically attract problems?
Why me of all people?
Why is change so difficult?

Does this sound familiar? These questions have one thing in common. They are pointless. Because they are backward-looking and problem-oriented. But as Albert Einstein aptly said: „Problems cannot be solved with the same way of thinking that created them.“ How right he was. If you ask yourself solution-oriented questions instead, you will immediately experience a massive shift in your focus. I have also prepared a top 10 for you here:

TOP 10 solution-oriented questions

How can I resolve this situation?
What can I learn from this?
Who could support me?
When have I ever solved a similar task before?
What can I learn from this?
What other resources do I need to achieve XYZ?
What could a solution to the problem look like?
How do I have to change in order to achieve my goal?
What opportunities lurk in this challenge?
How do I have to think differently to achieve the goal?

Mindset training - a small hack with a big impact

This is the small but subtle difference that makes a difference. These positive questions will inevitably be followed by positive actions, which will lead to positive results. A self-reinforcing spiral of success is created, which becomes deeply anchored in your subconscious over time and reliably does its job there. Of course, even with the most positive mindset, there will still be situations that annoy you, frustrate you or drive you crazy. Wonderful. Then here is the best mindset tip I know. Are you ready? Here we go:

5 minutes of whining is okay!

Yes, really. Let it all out for 5 minutes. Get angry, be angry and shout your frustration out loud to the world. But after that, the motto is: focus positively on solutions and opportunities. Because life is simply too beautiful to waste it on negativity. Enjoy every single moment and transform even the supposedly big problems into at least as big opportunities.

Besides your mindset, your most important ally is an often forgotten factor called humor. Yes, you heard right. Because humor opens the door to every individual change. To the small challenges of everyday life, but also to the really big ones. Every successful person I know likes to laugh a lot, especially at themselves. Because only those who don't take themselves too seriously can be taken seriously by those around them. Nobody likes bitter, always serious and rigid contemporaries.

Mindset Shift - The 3 golden rules of a positive attitude

The great art is to approach the supposedly small tasks with great seriousness and to be able to laugh about the difficult, seemingly insurmountable and often frustrating challenges. I would like to conclude this article with the three golden rules of a positive mindset:

Be positive. Always. (I already mentioned that, didn't I?)
Be aware of problems, but at the same time think in terms of opportunities and possibilities.
Humor opens the door to change. Laugh a lot and often, and don't take yourself too seriously.

Wonderful things will happen if you make these three rules your daily companions from now on.

And now I'm interested in your opinion: how important is the mindset for you and what experiences have you had?