"Tell me - what do you actually want to do in five years?" I asked. Stefan smiled and instead of an answer, took another sip of his beer. I had stopped counting at the fourth one. "I know it's a silly question. But do you still want to work as a waiter then?" "Maybe," he shrugged in response. He still smiled his mischievous smile, which women find so appealing. But in his eyes, there was no longer the sparkle that I had seen there a minute ago when he passionately talked about yesterday's victory of Eintracht Frankfurt. Instead, his gaze wandered off. Stefan is an old school friend of mine. He is a good person at heart, a reliable friend, and a caring father. He enjoys life - and that is exactly the problem. He lives "from hand to mouth," always from one month's salary to the next. We meet regularly, and he always gushes about what he has experienced recently. How he partied with friends or which women are currently turning his head. But I noticed that he never talked about the future - so I openly addressed it with him. "I have no idea," he finally said. "Maybe open a bar. Bali was great. I spent my honeymoon there. Cool country! I would really like to learn diving. You know, when we were at that restaurant there, we met the other couple..." He never shared more about his future plans. Stefan is pretty much the opposite of the founders, entrepreneurs, and freelancers in my other circle of acquaintances. People who are almost panting for growth. Who are eager for new strategies, processes, and hacks to grow more and faster. People you have to stop from wanting to do too much at once, as they would otherwise fall into senseless activism. In an unstable and dynamic world, he seems like a foreign body, a dinosaur. I feel both pity and shame at the same time. Because who am I to allow myself to judge the life plans (or the lack thereof) of other people?
Sometimes less is more
But here I had someone in front of me for whom growth is not a must, but an option. There is nothing wrong with that at all. On the contrary: it shows backbone and conviction when you know what you do NOT want. Just as when someone passionately fights for the fulfillment of their ambitious goals. It is a matter of mentality or, in modern terms, mindset. Growth is inherent in human nature. And I mean this literally, because we multiply - even though we no longer have enough space and resources for all of us on this planet. We grow mentally by constantly seeking new challenges. Every scientifically relevant insight raises even more questions. We grow physically and constantly chase new records. Usain Bolt was not satisfied with running the 100 meters pretty fast. He wanted to be the fastest man in the world. Michael Jordan did not become known for occasionally throwing a ball through a hoop. And we admire Meryl Streep not because she can act quite well, but because she was nominated for an Oscar 21 times (and has won three times). Economically, we currently rely on growth, because capitalism (even if the market economy is still so social) does not function without growth. If you do not multiply your money but leave it under the mattress, you will lose your wealth cent by cent. Because states keep printing more money notes, leading to a devaluation. So, not smart. With few exceptions, all countries in the world have committed themselves to a capitalist economic order. And even "communist" China depends on the economy growing steadily - not too much, but above all not too little. So, if you are economically active, you should not curse growth or be scared of it. It's part of the game! Because even if your goals are modest and you only want to establish a small company with stable revenue, you still have to grow to reach that status.
Growth - just another buzzword?
"Growth" is a current buzzword for growth. Just like "hustle," "grind," or even "hacking." Many young entrepreneurs like to use it to illustrate their ambition despite any adversities. They get their hands dirty, seize every opportunity, and are happy to leave the established paths to boost their company's growth. And even the topic of my bestseller "Growth Hacking" is not morally reprehensible because creativity and courage also correspond to the human ideal - as long as this pursuit is not directed against or at the expense of others.
Please replicate: The Growth Mindset
Carol S. Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University. In her bestseller "The Growth Mindset," she describes two different mentalities: the "Fixed Mindset" and (who would have guessed) the "Growth Mindset." Fundamentally, people with the Fixed Mindset believe that things are "set in stone." Either you are good at sports or not. Either you are smart or not. Either you are a good leader or not. All talent, ability, and disposition. Problems arise when people with this mindset can no longer meet expectations - whether those of others or their own. Because if you fail despite high ability, you hit a dead end. Stefan also has such a Fixed Mindset. He has his place in the world and sticks to it. Ambitious goals? Strategic further education? Why bother with that when everything is fine? For people with a Growth Mindset - to use the words of T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia - nothing is written: They believe that they can change at any time, that they can grow. No matter how good or bad they are at something: through learning and hard work, they can get a little better every day. Their only opponent is yesterday's self - and as long as they can overcome that yesterday's self, they win. In many studies, Dr. Dweck has proven that there are not just people with one or the other mindset, but that we constantly switch between the two mentalities - depending on the situation. Perhaps we have a Growth Mindset when it comes to entrepreneurship and excel as outstanding leaders who prioritize the personal development of their employees. But when it comes to raising children, we fall into the Fixed Mindset and praise our children's good grades rather than the learning process. So, if you want to be economically successful - and only you define what "success" means - then a "Growth Mindset" is recommended. Because only with that will you have long-term success. You will develop yourself, your company, and your employees. You will seek new experiences, venture into unknown territory, make mistakes - but it is still the better alternative to the Fixed Mindset because growth and development correspond to our human nature and will advance you as an individual and us as a society.
Summary
Observe yourself: Are you someone who is open to criticism? Who is not satisfied with their place in the world and wants to continue developing - even though you know that growth inevitably comes with challenges and mistakes? If yes, then you lean towards the Growth Mindset. If not, then ask yourself if you are happy with your life or if you want to change something. Because change always begins first in your mind.
