If you want to succeed in your career and life, it all starts with the power of the mind. Take the success stories and lessons learned from Tazmin Suleman. She’s the founder of TS Coaching, creator of the online course Revitalise, and co-host of The SEO Mindset podcast.
Tazmin built her career around the tech sector, handling Java development, quality assurance (QA), and search engine optimization (SEO). But she was already weaving ‘personal development’ into her different roles by leading corporate initiatives, such as establishing a Great Place to Work and running goal-setting workshops.
Then, the pandemic lockdown happened, which compromised her job. She took time off, began her Project I, and had some self-reflection. And the rest is history. That transition led her to where she is now—a successful professional with a coaching business, working with individuals and organizations to promote well-being.
Her secret? The power of mindset.
In our latest episode of TL;DR by Jolly SEO, Tazmin covered the topic of the growth mindset. If you want to learn how to cultivate such for personal and professional development, read below. Or listen to the podcast here:
Difference between a Growth and Fixed Mindset
After some self-introductions with a glimpse of success stories and lessons learned, the discussion started with distinguishing a growth mindset from a fixed one.
When asked what the difference is between the two, Tazmin quickly answered, “A fixed mindset keeps you stuck; a growth mindset moves you forward. But the speed at which they happen will be different for everyone.”
Tazmin defines ‘mindset’ as how you look at the world and how you look at yourself. For her, the growth mindset is where you think that:
The world is great;
The opportunities are there;
I can change;
I can learn;
I can adapt;
I can try;
I can pick myself up when I fall;
I can learn from when I fall.
And I can keep moving forward.
How To Cultivate a Growth Mindset for Personal Development
Understanding the difference between a growth and a fixed mindset is one thing; cultivating a growth mindset is another. The latter is crucial to achieving personal development.
Tazmin said many people fall into personal development when there’s been a crisis, as is her case. While that situation can make or break you, your mindset can make a difference.
She shared some personal experiences and valuable insights on cultivating a growth mindset for personal development. You can sum up the idea into three:
- Having Self-awareness: Tazmin believes it’s important to look inwards to learn more about yourself. That lets you know what you want, what didn’t work, and what to do next. She recommended journaling to list what you’re grateful for, assess what you think and feel, and plan what steps to take.
- Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: Greg also mentioned mindset obstacles, such as how limiting beliefs stop people from growing. Tazmin suggested the same thing: looking inwards. Tazmin said you need to know who you are and what you want. You have to start thinking that you’re a different person, higher than what you feel and think. Finally, affirm who you are and what you strive to become.
- Practicing True Resilience: Tazmin remembered someone comparing resilience to elastic bands: The more you use them, the less powerful they become. But she believes it is like muscles: The more you use them, the tougher they get. So, changing your mindset helps you handle setbacks and failures in life. She emphasized treating failures as learning experiences for you to move on and grow.
Tazmin said that it all boils down to what you feed your mind. Ask yourself: What is this teaching me? What lessons will I learn? And Greg stressed by saying, “It goes back to mindset.”
How Business Leaders Can Foster a Growth Mindset in Their Organization
Greg also saw the need to get advice pieces from Tazmin for business owners and leaders. When asked what employers can do to help their employees’ personal growth and development, she said:
Create a supportive, safe environment that promotes learning and growth.
So what does this business advice entail? Based on personal accounts, Tazmin recommended the following:
- Harness the power of coaching. Train directors and managers to be coaches to be more effective at helping subordinates grow personally and professionally. Sometimes, people need someone that sees something in them and motivates them to improve.
- Conduct training programs, such as formal training, mindset training, regular conversations, reading programs, and more. They provide the employees the opportunity to share, learn, grow, and succeed.
- Lead by example through words and actions. As a business leader, you should exemplify how your growth mindset has led you to where you are now. Share your personal experiences as a way to inspire others.
Final Words
Tazmin capped the discussion by saying: It’s not about them; it’s about us. She believed that the real power is internal; It’s all about you and getting better at being you.
When finally asked what more she could share, Tazmin focused on managing stress. As people have normalized this, she recommended getting to a place where we don’t feel much of it. She mentioned peace as a higher vibration frequency than love, joy, and happiness. It is a state where you can have clarity; It is when you can make the best decisions in life.
She questioned, “With our thoughts alone, what sort of life are we creating? And with our thoughts alone, what sort of life could we create?” She continued by saying that you can reframe some of the negativities in your life. “Reframe your past so it’s not that painful; reframe your future so it’s not that scary.”
Ultimately, give yourself a little peace, so you can tap into your power and have the best life possible.
