What do you think is the #1 obstacle to visualizing and living your dream lifestyle after 60? If you said a Fixed Mindset, you would be correct.
Dr. Carol Dweck, who is a world-renowned Stanford psychologist and Growth Mindset Pioneer had this to say about the kind of mindset required for positive transformation as we age:
“The belief that abilities are fixed is most damaging in older adults. Our research shows that when people over fifty adopt a Growth Mindset, their cognitive abilities not only maintain but often improve.”
In my previous article and video for Sixty and Me readers, I revealed how my “See It, Believe It & Achieve It” framework works better for people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond than it does for younger adults.
A key part of making this framework beneficial to your dreams and desires coming to fruition is a Growth Mindset and the power of your childhood imagination.
In this second article and video of my new, 12-part exclusive series for Sixty and Me readers titled “Visualize a Vibrant New Lifestyle After 60”, we are going to explore what a Fixed Mindset is and how to transform it through your childhood imagination.
Where Does a Fixed Mindset Come From?
A Fixed Mindset is established early on in life through rigid beliefs and strict rules. They are handed down by authority figures, such as parents and teachers, and later reinforced throughout society.
Millions of people over 60 were conditioned early on in life to adopt a Fixed Mindset through fixed beliefs. The basis of fixed beliefs is that your abilities, circumstances, and potential for growth are limited as you age.
Fixed beliefs are often harsh and aimed at controlling behaviors that come naturally to children, such as curiosity, playfulness, and imagination. These same traits are vital for creating a fulfilling lifestyle as we age. However, due to a Fixed Mindset, the very things we need to visualize and actualize our dreams into reality are often underdeveloped.
Creating a Better Lifestyle After 60
Your childhood imagination was never fixed, nor was it rooted in limitations. As a child, you effortlessly explored possibilities, experimented with new ideas, and genuinely believed anything was possible.
To create a better lifestyle for yourself after 60 requires specific beliefs and behaviors to be changed. For you cannot keep relying on the same beliefs and behaviors all the while expecting new and improved results.
You may agree, but if you are over 60, you have a lot of experience tied to specific thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that are not so easy to change overnight.
To help you embrace your childhood imagination and overcome fixed beliefs, here is an effective and practical five-step process that is part of my “See It, Believe It & Achieve It” framework.
5-Step Action Plan to Undo a Fixed Mindset
Step 1: Identify & Challenge Fixed Mindset Beliefs
A Fixed Mindset often influences your thoughts and decisions unconsciously. The first step is to consciously challenge negative thoughts and fixed beliefs.
Make a list of five beliefs that keep you feeling stuck. Examples such as:
- “I’m too old to start over.”
- “I’m not creative.”
- “I don’t like change.”
Next to each belief, write a counterstatement such as the following:
- “I am constantly evolving.”
- “I can create my dream life at any age.”
- “It’s never too late to create something new.”
Step 2: Reframe Change as a Playground, Not a Threat
Many of us were raised to see change as risky, unpredictable, or dangerous. Before limiting beliefs took over, however, your natural curiosity as a child led you to seek new experiences.
Instead of asking, “What if this doesn’t work out?” ask a playful question like: “What exciting opportunities could this bring?” and “How can I make this feel like an adventure?”
Step 3: Start Small – Play with Micro-Imagination Exercises
Jumping straight into big visualizations can feel overwhelming. Instead, start small, be playful, and allow yourself time to build your creative muscles.
Before you take a walk or go to the store, allow a few minutes to visualize the experience. What do you see? Who is with you? What’s your desired outcome?
Step 4: Surround Yourself with Growth & Possibility
A Fixed Mindset is often reinforced by your environment. This includes people and routines that keep you stuck in a revolving door of unfulfilling repetitive patterns. To fully embrace change, expose yourself to expansion.
To begin, create a “Growth Mindset Circle” by surrounding yourself with people who embrace learning, creativity, and change. Change one daily habit or routine, such as taking a different route on a walk, speak to yourself in a more loving way, or explore a new topic to educate yourself on.
Step 5: Step into Your Future Self Today
Your childhood imagination allowed you to pretend and play without hesitation.
Instead of waiting to become the person who embraces change, act like that person today. Ask yourself, “How would my future self approach today?” and take one action that’s in alignment with that version of you.
Next Steps:
Next in this series, you will learn how to create a Visualization Sanctuary that will enhance your visualization practices.
I invite you to join me in the video, where I will share with you six Future Self Affirmations that will mentally, emotionally, and energetically align you with the version of yourself who is already living your dream lifestyle.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What is one fixed belief you have identified recently? Have you found a way to overcome it? How?
