Wouldn’t it be great if one day, while you were just minding your own business, you suddenly encountered a big flashing sign that read in bright, clear letters, “This way to your goals!”
Maybe it would be the first in a series of signs that would lead you from wherever you are to wherever you want to go. A clear path to a promotion. A clear path to meeting someone to fall in love with. A clear path to unlocking your potential. A clear path to keeping your recovery intact over time. It would be wonderful if all you had to do was follow the brightly lit signs, right?
But of course, the world really does not work that way. The path we might want to be taking is often hard to find—or hard to navigate even after it is found.
Still, there is something you can do to find yourself headed in the right direction to achieve your goals. It is called maintaining a growth mindset.
Growth Is a Key to Achieving Goals
Many people have what is known as a fixed mindset. They believe that each of us is born with a fixed level of intelligence and talent and a fixed kind of personality. A person who is thinking this way is unlikely to push themselves to try anything new or anything difficult. After all, their fixed mindset tells them they probably are not smart enough or talented enough to do whatever they are considering doing. A fixed mindset can keep you from taking risks—even risks that might pay off and improve your life.
A growth mindset, on the other hand, is centered on the idea that all of us can…well…grow. If you work at something, you can get better at it. If you set a reasonable goal, you can achieve it. You can shape your own experience by being open to new ideas, pushing yourself to pursue what is important to you, and so on.
We want to note the especially important way a growth mindset can help you think about your recovery. When you have a growth mindset, you will be inclined to remind yourself that you are working toward a goal of building a lasting recovery and that you can achieve that goal. A person with a fixed mindset, on the other hand, might find themselves experiencing cravings or facing other difficulties and conclude that they will never be able to resist drugs or alcohol.
We are decidedly not saying that maintaining a growth mindset will mean you never struggle in recovery or when you are trying to reach other important goals in your life. We are saying, however, that a growth mindset sets you up to move forward while a fixed mindset holds you back. When you are in recovery from a substance use disorder, you definitely want to keep moving forward.
Some Notes on Goal Setting
Maybe you have heard the old saying: A goal without a plan is just a wish.
We think that is true, so we encourage you to use your growth mindset as a jumping off point for building a plan around your goals—including your goal to extend your recovery day by day.
There are many different approaches to creating the plan that leads to your goals. For example, many people like a strategy known as SMART goal setting. SMART is an acronym that gives you five steps for charting out your plans. For this example, let’s say that your goal is to earn a promotion at work.
- S is for Specific: The idea of getting a promotion is pretty general. What position would you like to occupy at work? Maybe you want to be the manager of a specific department in your company.
- M is for Measurable: A good goal provides you with ways to measure your progress. You want to be able to tell if you are consistently moving toward your ultimate goal.
- A is for Actionable: What are the steps between you and your goal? What can you do now that would move you a step closer to becoming a manager? A good example in this case might be participating in a professional development program that can help you learn to be an effective manager. What step could you take after that?
- R is for Rewarding: Does your goal give you a sense of purpose? Why do you want to become a manager? What would be the benefit to you, to your company, and to the people you would manage? When you think of those benefits, do you feel inspired?
- T is for Time-Specific: You won’t reach your goal overnight, but you also don’t want to be too vague about when you might accomplish it. Identifying a time by which you would like to reach your goal can provide the sense of urgency you need to really work toward it.
The SMART method is just one goal-setting option. You can find more here.
Our Goal is to Help You Leave Drugs and Alcohol Behind
At The Aviary Recovery Center—located near St. Louis, Missouri—we help people overcome substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. When your goal is to make a change, we can help.
