THE POWER OF LISTENING

 

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May 4, 2026

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Great leaders are great listeners, and therefore my message today is a simple one – talk less and listen more. The best leaders are proactive, strategic, and intuitive listeners. They recognize knowledge and wisdom are not gained by talking, but by listening. Take a moment and reflect back on any great leader who comes to mind…you’ll find they are very adept at reading between the lines. They have the uncanny ability to understand what is not said, witnessed, or heard. In today’s post, I’ll quickly examine the merits of developing your listening skills. Warning: this post isn’t going to coddle you and leave you feeling warm and fuzzy – it is rather blunt and to the point.

Want to become a better leader? Stop talking and start listening. Being a leader should not be viewed as a license to increase the volume of rhetoric. Rather astute leaders know there is far more to be gained by surrendering the floor than by dominating it. In this age of instant communication, everyone seems to be in such a rush to communicate what’s on their mind, they fail to realize the value of everything that can be gleaned from the minds of others. Show me a leader who doesn’t recognize the value of listening to others and I’ll show you a train-wreck in the making.

Do you sometimes feel like this, my dear readers, that you want to discuss something, but the people opposite to you simply cannot listen to you? Sometimes, I would love to tell them, “first, learn to listen”!

Listening is indeed the key in effective communication. A person does not have to speak all the time to be the smartest person in the room. Lack of listening may result in frustration, disappointment, and resentment in our relationships. When we listen, we are able to create stronger emotional connections with people.

Many times during my teaching, I’m happy when my students have one or more questions for me – so, I can listen to them first. Active listening promotes mindful thinking, which can reduce anxiety and depression in students. It can also help students build relationships because as they engage themselves in conversation, their peers are more likely to view them as open and interested.

However, every time you use active listening, it gets a little easier. It can help you to navigate through difficult conversations. More than that, it helps improve overall communication, builds a better understanding and ultimately leads to better relationships with family, friends and co-workers too.

Listening is an active process by which we make sense of, assess, and respond to what we hear. The listening process involves five stages: receiving, understanding, evaluating, remembering, and responding. Not only in school or at the workplace. But especially talking about the workplace: Listening helps managers to solicit feedback and proactively find out about problems before they escalate. It’s also the only way for management to get to know people as individuals and ensure that they feel genuinely valued.

Listening and the supreme gift of wisdom belongs together. You can only become a wise person, if you know how to listen. Do you still remember the university lectures in your old student days once upon a time? Anybody can become wise, Proverbs says. Wisdom is not reserved for a brainy elite. Becoming wise requires self-discipline to study and humbly seek wisdom at every opportunity. And allow me to repeat: and, first, learn to listen.

EACH FOR HIMSELF

 

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April 25, 2026

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“Every man for himself” (or “each for themselves”) describes a chaotic situation where individuals, in a crisis or competition, act only in their own self-interest without helping others. This idiom highlights a total lack of cooperation, forcing everyone to rely entirely on their own survival skills
 It’s used for saying that everyone needs to look after themselves and not worry about anyone else. Everyone looks out for his or her best interest. Originally this phrase expressed approval. It appeared in Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale (“Ech man for him-self, ther is non other”), implying that if one did not look out for oneself no one else would.

Yes, each person does what is best for himself or herself. Yes, times are getting tougher. I think you, my dear readers, know what I am talking about. No reason to list everything again. Sometimes, there is no team spirit in this office; it’s definitely every man for himself. Neighbors would tell each other: mind your own business. The tone between us humans is becoming more and more harsher.

Some people live alone because friends and families have abandoned them. Important helpline is Psalm 27:10 for them. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take care of me.”

And solitary survivors like Robinson Crusoe, or the hero in the movie Castaway, fascinate. But the loner is someone who purposely holds himself aloof, like the Unabomber, Mathematician Ted Kaczynski. People doggedly moving ever farther away from one another constitute hell in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Great Divorce.

Fact is  –  Proverbs 18:1 says:  A man who isolates himself seeks his own desires; he rages against all wise judgment.

Living in community and helping one another is foundational for all who wish to follow Christ. We know from Acts 2 that the early church took this seriously, seeing many examples of believers helping one another, including materially, so that there would be no one in need within their group.

Much has been written about the benefits of strong relationships. I wrote about it at this corner several years ago. People are healthier, live longer, and are generally happier if they have strong friendships beneficial for helping and encouraging each other. And let me repeat it – especially during these tough times.

 

CAREER DOUBTS

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April 24, 2026

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Is it normal to have doubts about a career? In fact, reexamining our careers in midlife is not just normal—it’s a healthy and expected part of development. The idea that we should have everything figured out by our 30s (or even our 40s and beyond) is a myth that ignores how we evolve as people over time.

Career doubts often signal a need for growth, change, or a realignment of personal values, rather than just failure. To navigate this, proactively assess your situation by listing facts vs. feelings, envision your ideal future role, and discuss with professionals in similar fields. Common causes include lack of challenge, burnout, or misalignment with company culture.

You may experience doubts as soon as you start your studies simply because you do not know enough about the many career paths that are available to you …

Realize that doubt is a normal part of the achievement process. Doubt happens to all of us. Sometimes, you’ll set big career goals and then actively prevent yourself from achieving them. You may even get close to achieving these big goals, but then, right before you do, you’ll blow everything up.

Start conducting exploratory interviews. Attend industry conferences, and network with key organizers, asking one or two for their time to learn more about their own personal career path. Find a mentor from whom you can get direction, who can assess your strengths and interests and help you brainstorm new career paths.

Career is a rapid motion. A course of action. Sure! A professional conduct in life. Even a progress through life. Here we are! That means, a careerist is one, who rushes widely and makes his own personal advancement as well as his (or her) own aim in life!

What can we do, if “career doubts” won’t go away? First allow me to quote my bible, especially Jude (Watching out! Sounding an alarm!), who writes in the style of a teacher who is watching a freight train bear down on his student’s driver. Yes, bells ring out: “Be merciful to those who doubt.” (Jude :22).

My parents always wanted me to become a banker. So far so good. Why not? Maybe I would have been much happier in my job during those times. Maybe not? I wanted to be a journalist already at the age of 6… . Believe it or not.

The pressure “to be” (or later NOT TO BE – thank you Mr. Shakespeare!), started early in my life. Not only my parents, also my peers and teachers began to exert their influences on me. Yes, I even didn’t know yet where my inclinations lay. I only knew, I wanted to become a journalist… .

Suddenly being a doctor or a lawyer? Yes, I was interested in law and medicine at that time. I really got very lucky becoming an editor of German law magazines during my last 18 years in Germany. But I never became a lawyer – or doctor! Now, I would ask myself – who cares?

Fear of failure: Perfectionism and a fear of failure reinforce feelings of self-doubt. In a state of self-doubt, you may attribute your past successes to luck, downplaying your true abilities. (A term for this experience is imposter syndrome, which is when successful people feel unworthy of their wins.)

“The way that people pick up careers is incredibly  primitive,” said Nicholas Lore, founder of the Rockport Institute, a career coaching firm, and author of “The Pathfinder”. Strong tobacco, indeed. That’s why so many people are indeed dissatisfied with their jobs. I wanted to be a journalist, but mass communications wasn’t MY subject yet. Publishing house management – yes! Banker again? Once upon a time… .

Believe me, I always thought about a true calling for myself. Sure, people, whose careers aren’t the fight fit, often  feel like impostors, as Professor Robert I. Sutton, an organizational psychologist at Stanford University in Palo Alto, said. Very, very well said, Sir.

How about you, my dear reader of this column? Are you also placing too high a value on the external rewards of a job, like money, prestige and power? Of course, for many of us (most?) These things are indeed important. Hold on, please! The work you do and the skills  your opportunity  requires and the value of your work are really more vital to fulfilment. Paper work, or not… . You think you find a better career fit? Go ahead – but don’t expect that this is your life’s career!

I waited for my “better calling” (what a terrible term!) experiencing many even better and wonderful moments in life. I also experienced that what I did in the past had not been very much compatible to me, as what my parents thought… .

Meanwhile, I reached the age of 73. I am looking back. I still like to teach the new generation…

 

What will happen to Earth in the future?

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April 20, 2026

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Our planet’s incredible biodiversity is under threat. Deforestation, habitat destruction, and pollution are leading to the extinction of countless plant and animal species. Ecosystem Imbalance: The extinction of even a single species can disrupt an entire ecosystem.

Earth faces significant near-term challenges from climate change—including sea-level rise, habitat destruction, and extreme weather by 2050—and long-term extinction events driven by solar expansion. Over the next billion years, increased solar luminosity will likely evaporate the oceans and make the planet uninhabitable, with the Sun eventually consuming Earth in about 5 billion years.

Welcome to the future! An increasingly globalised humanity is faced with climate change, dwindling resources, overpopulation and technological upheaval. Diverging paths for humans and transhumans, eco-technic societies dominate the globe, and colonisation of space accelerates.

Earth’s long-term future entails a slow transformation into a uninhabitable, hot desert, driven by increasing solar luminosity. In ~1 billion years, rising temperatures will trigger a runaway greenhouse effect, evaporating oceans and ending life. Over 250 million years, continents will merge into a supercontinent, while within 4–7.5 billion years, the Sun will turn into a red giant and likely absorb the planet.

Mother Earth provides the plants, animals, birds, and fish who give their lives to feed and clothe human beings, while the trees, plants, and soil provide us with shelter, warmth, and a way to grow some of our foods. The insects ensure that our plants are pollinated and assist with their growth.

What is happening to Earth right now 2026? Earth is hurtling towards its average temperature rising by 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. One climate model suggests that the likelihood of reaching that threshold in 2023 is  55%.

Ultimately, the general strength of the solar maximum we experience in 2025 will determine just how harsh the solar weather is. It will therefore determine if we experience powerful solar flares or coronal mass ejections, which can then cause issues here on Earth, too.

Future changes are expected to include a warmer atmosphere, a warmer and more acidic ocean, higher sea levels, and larger changes in precipitation patterns. The extent of future climate change depends on what we do now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The more we emit, the larger future changes will be.

How can we save our Earth? Protecting our planet starts with simple things you can do to help protect the earth.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away.  Volunteer for cleanups in your community.
Conserve water. Shop wisely. Use long-lasting light bulbs. Plant a tree.

Geologist Ed Mathez commented: ” I wish I could tell you what the future will bring, but no one knows for sure how global warming will play out.

In fact, not knowing is one of the problems. Global warming is a significant risk to society. On the one hand, we do not know exactly what will happen. On the other hand, we realize that what could happen could be serious. And these consequences could affect different parts of the world in different ways.

For example, there could be long periods of low rainfall in a particular region. The western United States is one area that is at particular risk to widespread drought.”

Humans’ negative impact on the environment is nothing new. We have always refused to maintain a balance with nature.

We are responsible for the climate crisis we are facing.

I see climate change happening and I see it getting worse every time. This makes me wonder how the future is going to look for us. We have failed to realize that climate change directly impacts us and our basic rights like the right to food, clean air, clean water, education, development, etc. The temperature is rising, natural disasters just keep increasing in numbers, deforestation…

There is no us without mother nature. 

 

THE WORRIER TAKES IT ALL

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April 18, 2026

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“The warrior takes it all” reflects a mindset of total commitment, where a warrior (or a “Warrior of Light”) embraces every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow, and act, rather than acting as a victim of fate. This perspective emphasizes living with absolute discipline, turning obstacles into stepping stones, and accepting one’s life—challenges and all—with humility and purpose.

Worries, doubts, and anxieties are a normal part of life. It’s natural to worry about an unpaid bill, an upcoming job interview, or a first date. But “normal” worry becomes excessive when it’s persistent and uncontrollable. You worry every day about “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, you can’t get anxious thoughts out of your head, and it interferes with your daily life.

Constant worrying, negative thinking, and always expecting the worst can take a toll on your emotional and physical health. It can sap your emotional strength, leave you feeling restless and jumpy, cause insomnia, headaches, stomach problems, and muscle tension, and make it difficult to concentrate at work or school. You may take your negative feelings out on the people closest to you, self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, or try to distract yourself by zoning out in front of screens. Chronic worrying can also be a major symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a common anxiety disorder that involves tension, nervousness, and a general feeling of unease that colors your whole life.

If you’re plagued by exaggerated worry and tension, there are steps you can take to turn off anxious thoughts. Chronic worrying is a mental habit that can be broken. You can train your brain to stay calm and look at life from a more balanced, less fearful perspective.

Really? Do you let the worrier take over your life and your present situation? A pessimist, a worrier, an alarmist, a license dodger, name it whomever you like. Call some, they are all between us. Maybe her or she or even you?

We hardly count our blessings. We enjoy counting our crosses. Instead of gains, we count our losses. We don’t have to do all that counting – computers do it for us. Information is easily had. Especially during these terrible times of pandemic.

Just remember this: Opportunity doesn’t just knock – it jiggles the door-knob. and “your friend” – the worrier, is with you day and night, at every corner, following your every step. Complaining and grumbling are good excuses, right? We have time and opportunities to do almost anything. So why haven’t we done it? We have the freedom of bondage or restraint, every one of us in his or her very special unique way – but, we’re still our old inferior selves.

The job is boring. Even at the present home office. I don’t get a good job. The house is an unpleasant mixture of tidy and dirty things. It’s a mess. I’m not in the mood to arrange my garden. I can’t afford a gardener. That’s life. How sad. No, it’s not my fault; or course not.

The whole world is an awful place filled with dreadful and horrible negativism. Right now because of the pandemic. Yes, I confess, I’m also surrounded by many worriers who put their fears into me. Politicians, i.e., many times love to search for some grave alarm that will cause individuals to abandon their separate concerns and act in concert, so that politicians can wield the baton. Calls to fatal struggles and fights are forever being sounded.

The overbearing person, who tyrannizes the weak, who wants to dominate and to bluster, is simply nothing else than a worrier, who claims to be a friend. But he or she isn’t. Really not! The bullying of fellow citizens by means of dread and fright has been going on since Paleolithic times. The night wolf is eating the moon. Give me silver and I’ll make him spit out.

Well, when will we start counting our courage and not our fears, or enjoy instead of our woe? Worrying itself is pointless. Of course, no society has achieved perfect rules of law, never-ending education or unique responsible governments. Let’s seek out the worries but avoid the warriors, because they try to avoid liberty.

If you are still worrying right now about something, try to read Jeremiah 29:10-14 or Revelation 21:1-8, just to mention these two. It works. And in my opinion: Let Jesus take over.

It is important to note that while this phrase can describe an intense, focused, and disciplined life, it is sometimes confused with the lyric “The winner takes it all” from the ABBA song. 

No, I don’t give up… .And you shouldn’t give up too!

 

The quintessence of life

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April 18, 2026

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The quintessence of life refers to the purest, most essential, or perfect example of existence, often focusing on intrinsic value rather than material success. Examples include simple joys (a sunrise, coffee), authentic connections, passionate creation, and finding purpose through resilience. It represents the “fifth element” (aether)—the spiritual spark animating the material world.

What does quintessence mean? It is the fifth and highest element in ancient and medieval philosophy that permeates all nature and is the substance composing the celestial bodies.The essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form.

The quintessence of something is its perfect, ideal example. Some people say that the quintessence of American cuisine is the hamburger. Vegetarians may beg to differ. Ancient Greek philosophers claimed there were five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and a fifth substance that made up objects in the heavens. 

Quintessential can also describe a person who is the perfect example of something, like a salesperson or athlete, but the adjective consummate may be a better choice in this context. The noun quintessence refers to the most typical or perfect representation of something.

Originating from Latin quinta essentia, it refers to the spiritual, intangible spark within all things—a “fifth element” (beyond earth, fire, water, air) often deemed the “ether” or the divine spark.

Almost 46 years ago, a good friend of mine gave me a book written by the Establisher and founder of the Scottish Free Church, Thomas Chalmers, who lived from 1780-1847.

Chalmers treated life’s quintessence with plenty  flowering words. Yes, don’t be afraid and live for something… !

Human beings live, move and have to pass away – free from worries, but unknown and unnoticed. They live such an irreproachable life – reputable, but so incomprehensible and inscrutable. Chalmers was very right… .

Why do people live like that even knowing they have to leave the platform of life one day? Why are people sometimes afraid to live and allow something or someone to block themselves? Still in my mind is one statement of Brother Francis Castro from the Little Brothers of Jesus. I quoted it several times already and it really became my life’s motto: “I feel the burning flame inside me that makes me jump out of the bed … and hurry to work!”

Life’s quintessence can be also this: Kindness, by helping the blind man crossing a street; hospitality, by practicing generous reception of strangers and guests (my very first impression, when I step on Philippine soil in June 1976!); helpfulness, by taking care of somebody, who is weak and dependent… .

Believe me: your moment of virtue will never be destroyed by time’s storm. Henri Nouwen, a devotional writer and speaker, whom I also admire very much, spent two hours daily bathing, shaving, dressing,
and feeding a man, who was so profoundly  able to speak or walk. Very clear, in that daily act of loving, Nouwen exemplified the compassion and sacrifice of Christ.

Love and merciful actions shared with people, who cross our path –  and nobody will forget us. In our daily life, we do have plenty of situations, where we could show our real calling. Good deeds are shining like stars from heaven. Deeds of love and service may not seem to be an efficient use of time and energy, but they are never wasted. Our life doesn’t run clock-counter-wise. The clock’s hands are the time dictators of everyone. So: do live for something!

 It is defined as something that is the perfect embodiment of something. It is the richest and best example of something. This got me thinking.

Why Spirituality Matters in the Digital Age

 

 

A modern society is defined as a social structure characterized by a market-based economy, a democratic political system, and autonomous knowledge-producing institutions that develop empirical-analytical sciences.

However one looks at this range of dates, a considerable tension between any historical description of a rupture and conceptual understandings of modernity comes immediately to the fore. The conceptual imagery of a ‘modern society’ characterized by a market-based economy, a democratic polity, and autonomous knowledge-producing institutions developing empirical-analytical sciences sits in an uneasy relation to these historical dates. Were one to insist that the full set of those institutions needs to exist before a society can be called modern, social modernity would be limited to a relatively small part of the globe during only a part of the twentieth century.

This tension between conceptuality and historicity was resolved by introducing an evolutionary logic in societal development. Based on the assumption of a societally effective voluntarism of human action, realms of social life were considered to have gradually separated from one another according to social functions. Religion, politics, the economy, and the arts all emerged as separate spheres in a series of historical breaks—known as the scientific, industrial, democratic revolutions, etc.—that follows a logic of differentiation.

Money is one of the most essential in today’s world. Money allows us to meet our basic needs: buy food, shelter, and pay for health care. Meeting these needs is essential and if we don’t have enough money to do so, our individual happiness and the well-being of the community as a whole will be severely affected.

Why are values important in today’s world? Our values inform our thoughts, words, and actions. Every individual and every organization is involved in making hundreds of decisions every day. The decisions we make are a reflection of our values and beliefs, and they are always directed towards a specific purpose.

Values are the fundamental beliefs that govern our lives. They inspire how we act and speak. They guide our decisions about everything from career to personal growth. They embody the person we want to be, influencing how we treat others and how we interact with the world.

What is the most important thing in the world? Health – Without health, there is nothing worth it. Physical and mental health go hand in hand; if we don’t give importance to our physical health, it will have consequences for our mental health and vice versa.

Human life is the means to get rid of the cycle of birth and death, old age and travel. Devotion and liberation are possible in this life. Only in the human body, a person can reach God by knowing his form. We have forgotten the purpose for which life was given.

It’s important to prioritize making space for quiet, for real connection, and for reflection —both psychological and spiritual — in order to feel more grounded in ourselves and more open to a deeper, richer experience of life beyond the screen.

 

PROBLEMS MAKE A  PERSON GROW

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April 7, 2026

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Growing as a person involves a continuous process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and self-transformation. It encompasses learning from experiences, expanding your knowledge and skills, improving your emotional intelligence, and developing healthier relationships with others and with yourself.

Struggle helps us to build resilience. This process helps us to develop mental and emotional toughness, enabling us to bounce back from setbacks and continue to move forward despite challenges. As a result, we become more resilient individuals who are better equipped to handle challenges in the future.

Difficult struggles force us to confront our fears and overcome obstacles, ultimately making us stronger individuals both mentally and emotionally. It is through these adversities that we develop important life skills such as problem-solving, perseverance, and adaptability, which can be applied to future challenges.

Do hard times help you grow? Research has found that up to 70 percent of people experience positive psychological growth from difficult times, such as a deeper sense of self and purpose, a greater appreciation for life and loved ones, and an increased capacity for altruism, empathy and desire to act for the greater good.

How can I challenge myself to grow? Try new things: Step outside of your comfort zone and try new things. This could be exploring a new hobby, traveling to a new destination, or learning a new skill. By exposing yourself to new experiences, you broaden your perspective and open doors to personal growth.

All I can say, dear reader, is that much of what I write is something I have experienced “first hand” and “learned” in the past.

 

Often in life we come across such relationships and people, who are never happy with you. There may be times when you have given your all but you still realize that you’ll never be good enough for some people.

This feeling is really sad and hurting which makes you doubt yourself. This is when you feel the world will never be satisfied with you, and there could be days when you feel like a failure.

But life is not about perfection, it’s about accepting people we love as they are. When the expectation of one person is too high it’s not possible to be every good enough for them no matter what you do. Never let this feeling make you depressed and feeling low.

Among daily changes within the world of work, there’s never been a better time for employees to cultivate skills to help them better manage workplace challenges. This is where the idea of the ‘growth mindset’ comes roaring in – the belief that workers are capable of actively improving their abilities, rather than being innately able or unable to complete certain tasks.

Yet, this ‘can do’ mindset can be more difficult to harness than it seems. Doing so means getting comfortable with embracing hurdles, learning from criticism and persisting when things get difficult.

Even if we believe that such tenacity is worth developing, in practice, doubts and fears can dominate. “We’re wired to believe our emotions,” says Elaine Elliott-Moskwa, psychologist and author of The Growth Mindset Workbook, based in Princeton, New Jersey, US. “When a person says ‘I feel I’m not good enough’, that feeling is very powerful, even though that is a belief about their abilities.”

At the heart of the growth mindset is learning to overcome such feelings of inability or inadequacy in the face of obstacles, and instead recognise an opportunity to learn. And there can be profound benefits to cultivating this approach. Employees with a growth mindset can tap into useful skills to manage stress, build supportive relationships with colleagues, cope with failure and develop attributes to help further their careers.

Approaching a challenge with a growth mindset over a fixed mindset is a choice anyone can take
Stanford professor and psychologist Carol Dweck narrowed this concept down to two approaches that can determine results: ‘fixed mindset’ and ‘growth mindset’. “Fixed mindset is the idea that your abilities are high or low, and there’s not too much you can do to change it,” says Elliott-Moskwa, “whereas the growth mindset is the view that your abilities are malleable or changeable.”

While some people may naturally lean more one way than the other, people don’t outright have either a fixed or growth mindset to all problems, full stop – instead, approaching a challenge with a growth mindset over a fixed mindset is a choice anyone can take.

For many people, though, moments of difficulty often spur fixed mindsets. For example, says Elliott-Moskwa, when people take in criticism from a boss, or struggle with a new task, they might feel a sense of inadequacy. In these situations, a fixed-mindset response might be “I’m not good enough”, or “I can’t do it”, she says.

By contrast, a growth mindset approach takes a different tack on the same situation. People with growth mindsets don’t interpret such moments as personal failings, but instead recognise a need to improve. Crucially, people working with a growth mindset believe they are capable of such improvement, and are able to break down challenges into achievable steps.

This means getting out of the comfort zone and accepting a certain level of risk, uncertainty and the potential for failure that comes with trying something new. “It feels a little bit uncomfortable, and also a little bit exciting,” says Isabella Venour, a London-based mindset coach, who helps professionals understand the role their beliefs, values and patterns of thinking play in the workplace. “You’ve got a bit of risk that it might go wrong, but you’ve also got the potential to learn something and to grow as an individual.”

Why is the growth mindset important in the workplace right now? A can-do approach is always a plus in the workplace – it demonstrates that workers are adaptable and willing to evolve within their jobs and organisations. But fostering a growth mindset plays an important role in helping workers navigate turbulence as well as improve resilience as they feel more confident and capable of handling difficulties.

How can you improve your growth mindset? The first step towards encouraging a growth mindset is personal awareness: the ability to identify fixed-mindset thinking when it occurs, which often manifests as feelings of discomfort or inadequacy in the face of a challenge.

First, Elliott-Moskwa advises recognising and accepting such feelings – instead of beating yourself up about them. “Then, mindfully make another choice to take an action step in keeping with what you would be doing if you had a growth mindset – the belief that you could increase your abilities,” she says.

To help clients approach obstacles with a growth mindset, Venour often breaks down challenges that feel overwhelming into smaller pieces. For example, if a worker feels unable to give a presentation in front of colleagues, “how much of that is emotional and how much of that is factual?”, she asks. “Can they talk? Yes. Have they spoken in front of more than one person before? Yes. Have they done presentation slides before? Yes. So, if there are elements that they can do, [what] is the bit that they’re not comfortable with?”

Narrowing down an overwhelming challenge to a specific point of difficulty helps workers focus, and reduces the element of learning required to an achievable level.

Often, the learning itself requires asking for help. One of the key concepts of growth mindset is seeing others as inspiration rather than competition, an approach that can help foster collaborative teams. “If workers view others as resources and not as competitors, they’re open to sharing other people’s skills and abilities and learning from fellow employees,” says Elliott-Moskwa.

Over time, recognising fixed mindset and practicing a growth mindset can become easier, and the prospect of taking on challenges less daunting. “Growth mindset is an empowering attitude,” says Venour. “You can really develop and grow over time as a person.”

Sometimes you might feel like you’re not good enough or unique enough, but everyone is! Everyone has different personalities.