Seek out risks<\/strong><\/h2>\nDon\u2019t walk down dark alleys at night or order ghost peppers on your next burrito. But do seek out risks judiciously. In our growth mindset, we seek out thoughtful leaps in the direction where we want to go. <\/p>\n
As Wildfang<\/a> cofounder Emma McIlroy observes, she learned as a competitive middle-distance runner that if she wasn\u2019t failing enough, she wasn\u2019t stretching herself enough\u2014she was playing it safe by competing in a field that didn\u2019t hold enough challenge for her. <\/p>\nIf you haven\u2019t failed recently, you could be playing it too safe and too small to make real progress in your life\u2014and the same could be true of your organization. (Incidentally, researchers point to a failure<\/a> \u201csweet spot\u201d of about 15 percent of your efforts coming up short.) If this is the case, identify a few areas where you can practice engaging your growth mindset around risk. <\/p>\nStart out by identifying one to three places in work or life where you could take some measured risks. Maybe reach out to an admired peer to learn what they\u2019re doing well; take a risk and request more professional development so you can be ready for the next challenge that presents itself. <\/p>\n
Do your research, pack your parachute, and then jump!<\/p>\n
Make data your friend<\/h2>\n
Data put the \u201cmeasure\u201d in measured risk. Cozying up with data no matter where you are in your organization will help you feel more confident venturing into new territory, and will help you determine early on, and periodically throughout the process, whether the risk you\u2019re taking is moving you closer to your goal or farther from it. <\/p>\n
Data don\u2019t tell you whether you\u2019re right or wrong (that\u2019s a fixed mindset view), they tell you where you are in the moment, and what the trajectory from past to present and from present to future could look like. Set markers where you\u2019ll check in and reflect on the process. Reassess, try a new strategy, or pivot if you learn that the risk isn\u2019t paying off.<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t failed recently, you could be playing it too safe and too small to make real progress in your life\u2014and the same could be true of your organization. (Incidentally, researchers point to a failure<\/a> \u201csweet spot\u201d of about 15 percent of your efforts coming up short.) If this is the case, identify a few areas where you can practice engaging your growth mindset around risk. <\/p>\n Start out by identifying one to three places in work or life where you could take some measured risks. Maybe reach out to an admired peer to learn what they\u2019re doing well; take a risk and request more professional development so you can be ready for the next challenge that presents itself. <\/p>\n Do your research, pack your parachute, and then jump!<\/p>\n Data put the \u201cmeasure\u201d in measured risk. Cozying up with data no matter where you are in your organization will help you feel more confident venturing into new territory, and will help you determine early on, and periodically throughout the process, whether the risk you\u2019re taking is moving you closer to your goal or farther from it. <\/p>\n Data don\u2019t tell you whether you\u2019re right or wrong (that\u2019s a fixed mindset view), they tell you where you are in the moment, and what the trajectory from past to present and from present to future could look like. Set markers where you\u2019ll check in and reflect on the process. Reassess, try a new strategy, or pivot if you learn that the risk isn\u2019t paying off.<\/p>\nMake data your friend<\/h2>\n
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