{"id":7678,"date":"2011-10-22T08:04:58","date_gmt":"2011-10-22T16:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=7678"},"modified":"2013-09-13T09:09:43","modified_gmt":"2013-09-13T17:09:43","slug":"everyone-is-a-philosopher-mindset-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/everyone-is-a-philosopher-mindset-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone is a Philosopher: Mindset Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/a><\/p>\n

“Success is dependent on effort.” <\/em>–Sophocles<\/p>\n

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” <\/em>–Aristotle<\/p>\n

One reason that philosophy is important to understand and use is that everyone is a philosopher.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

Far from being the ivory-tower, irrelevant proceeding limited only to those that like it piled-higher and deeper[2]<\/a>, everyone<\/em> is a philosopher, just as everyone breathes, eats, and has thoughts.\u00a0 We might even say that we hold this truth to be self-evident (just as they did in the Declaration of Independence<\/em>), that everyone<\/em> is a philosopher.\u00a0 Furthermore, we know this because each person has to make sense of the world is some<\/em> way.\u00a0 In fact, just a bit of open discussion with any person will reveal what their beliefs are.\u00a0 By delving just a little bit deeper, we can readily find out what their philosophy of life is, and how it operates in their life.\u00a0 This is but one essential aspect of the fine art of philosophical counseling<\/em>, more commonly known and marketed as life coaching<\/em>.\u00a0 Of course, psychologists call it psychotherapy.<\/p>\n

Everyone is a philosopher whether they like it or not\u2014whether they admit it or not\u2014whether they realize<\/em> it or not.<\/p>\n

So, since we\u2019re all doing this anyway\u2014making sense of the world and attempting to apply that understanding\u2014we might as well do it well<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It follows that if we don\u2019t develop and practice positive principles on which we can base how we live our life, it\u2019s rather like cutting bread with a dull knife.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

Furthermore, our philosophy has profound effects on how we approach every aspect of our life, even when \u2013 as so often is the case\u2014we are not truly aware of what exactly our philosophy is<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has shown how one critically important aspect of our philosophy\u2014our beliefs about how we make sense of the world–makes a huge difference in how we respond to challenges, and therefore, how we succeed in life.<\/p>\n

In her book Mindset:\u00a0 The New Psychology of Success \u2013 How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential, <\/em>Dweck cites dozens of studies showing how a simple attitude towards one\u2019s own qualities can bode well or not, depending on exactly which<\/em> mindset you hold.\u00a0 Roughly speaking, one\u2019s mindset falls into one of two categories; either one\u2019s mindset is fixed<\/em> or growth-<\/em>oriented.\u00a0 The good news:\u00a0 you can choose to change your mindset.<\/p>\n

Briefly, if one\u2019s mindset is fixed<\/em>, you will tend to avoid challenges, avoid change, and avoid admitting to and fixing one\u2019s mistakes.\u00a0 On the other hand, if one\u2019s mindset is growth<\/em>-oriented, you will tend to embrace change, to embrace improving yourself and learning, and to even relish challenges.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, the growth mindset is predictive of greater success in life, regardless of what area of life we are considering:\u00a0 health, business, school, relationships, parenting.\u00a0 Those with a growth mindset face<\/em> challenges rather than avoiding them.\u00a0 \u00a0In the growth mindset, you focus on cultivating<\/em> certain qualities; your focus is on learning, improving, understanding, and problem-solving, rather than trying to prove to yourself and others that you already possess<\/em> certain qualities, as with the fixed mindset.<\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the most historically famous exemplars of the growth mindset is Abraham Lincoln.[4]<\/a> His sweetheart died, he failed in business twice, and lost seven<\/em> elections before going on to become President of the United States.<\/p>\n

We can attribute this tenacity and success in part to a growth mindset, which entails the cultivation of skills.\u00a0 Further, the growth mindset itself<\/em> can<\/em> be cultivated\u2014like most any philosophy\u2014and this capacity of choice and develop our own outlook and philosophy is what distinguishes us from the animals.<\/p>\n

Carol Dweck\u2019s research shows that when we cultivate a growth mindset, we appreciate and practice making an effort to improve and learn from mistakes so that we continue to progress.<\/p>\n

Philosopher Eugene Gendlin speaks of a related concept to Dweck\u2019s growth mindset, which he refers to as living as living life-forward.[5]<\/a> We will discuss Gendlin\u2019s highly effective concepts and method (called Focusing<\/em>) which fosters inner positive change and the cultivation of the growth mindset in a future philosophical article.<\/em><\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

Tina Miller, M.A., C.F.LE, aka SocialPsi Tina, is a Certified Family Life Educator whose diverse background is social scientific, holistic, and educational approaches to personal empowerment and relationships provides a\u00a0 unique backdrop to her Unconventional Wisdom Coaching practice.\u00a0 Find out how you can get your free telephone coaching session here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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[1]<\/a> Gottman, John M.\u00a0 The marriage clinic: a scientifically-based marital therapy<\/em>, p.109<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[2]<\/a> PhDs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[3]<\/a> This analogy is attributed to Bo Lozoff,\u00a0 a spiritual teacher and author who works with prison inmates. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[4]<\/a> http:\/\/tinyurl.com\/4yg6dla<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[5]<\/a> Eugene Gendlin, Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy, <\/em>1996<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everyone is a philosopher whether they like it or not\u2014whether they admit it or not\u2014whether they realize it or not.<\/p>\n

So, since we\u2019re all doing this anyway\u2014making sense of the world and attempting to apply that understanding\u2014we might as well do it well. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":7680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[460,1702,4628,66,4629,1703,1704],"yoast_head":"\nEveryone is a Philosopher: Mindset Matters - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""We are what we repeatedly do. 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