The Art/Mindset of Possibilitarianism
I was first exposed to the concept of ‘possibilitarianism’ in The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma through the sentence mentioned below. Who is a possibilitarian, I thought. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to dig deeper.
Do not allow past pains and present frustrations to diminish your glory, stifle your invincibility and choke the unlimited possibilitarian that lurks within the supreme part of you. — The 5 AM Club
The qualities of a possibilitarian include curiosity, openness, analytical thinking and, for the lack of a better word, anti-resistance. These qualities are known to enforce a positive mindset, which lead to holistic growth, contentment and intrinsic motivation. It also means having a positive outlook towards new avenues and possibilities, spotting these opportunities when things seem dark, and capitalising on them.
While some develop these attributes early on in life, others might need to consciously work towards developing them. And for those who’ve tried, you know it’s not an overnight change. The rewiring of the brain, thought processes and behavioral patterns takes time and consistent effort. But oh, isn’t it worth it!
Possibilitarians see opportunity where most don’t. As India announced the world’s biggest lockdown to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic, the social isolation and looming uncertainty sent a number of us into a negative state of mind, while a few of us sprang up to make the most of this time.
What’s good, you ask? Time for introspection and creativity, no obligations, an ultimate go-with-the-flow attitude for the foreseeable future.
Mr. Jee, a business owner with no hobbies who lived a routine work-home life, took the opportunity to pursue his passion of healing and helping people by venturing towards the final Grand Master level of Reiki Healing, and plans to start teaching others to self-heal. Ms. Tan, an interior designer with an undeniable flair for cooking decided to start packaging her homemade delicacies and helping those in her surrounding localities.
What mindset do these two people possess that differentiates them from the others?
Fixed Mindset & Growth Mindset
These are two mindsets that can shape your life and dictate what you do on a day to day basis. A fixed mindset is static, where in you believe that you cannot change, and your skills and intelligence are what you’re born with. On the contrary, a growth mindset is one where you’re willing (and happy) to embrace change. You believe that intelligence and skill can be acquired with practice and commitment.
A growth mindset is essential to learning new skills, languages, concepts etc. A person with a fixed mindset will view a problem as an impediment, whereas a person with a growth mindset will view a problem as a learning opportunity and as a stepping stone to moving forward better equipped.
The transition from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is a journey filled with opportunities to choose between discomfort and comfort.
Comfort Zone Expansion & Learning Curve
Picking the uncomfortable path over the old and comfortable is the only way to move forward. Each time you choose new over familiar, you’ll feel yourself grow. The same activity you found uncomfortable earlier will feel relatively easy the next time around. And that’s how your comfort zone will expand.
As you engage in the same (erstwhile new) activity, you’ll see a change in the way you perceive the action and the result. Soon, you’ll find yourself making changes to the process to better suit you needs, and through this learning curve, the activity will become yours!
Did you know? Our brain responds to new experiences and learning by forming new neural connections.
Brain Plasticity/Neuroplasticity
Our brain and its capacity is elastic. Reduced usage of its various functions can lead to reduced capacity of the brain to perform those functions.
Say you’re a yoga enthusiast and your body is super flexible. If you stop your daily yoga practice and get back to it after a month, you’ll naturally find that you body’s capacity to do a 180° split has diminished. The only way you can get this back is by regular practice. It’s not impossible to go back! Even if you’re not naturally flexible, it’s totally possible to train your body to do a 180° split with some practice.
The reason I’m highlighting this quality of the brain is in order to establish that a change of mindset is possible for someone who wants it. As you go, remind yourself of the qualities you’d like to possess and push yourself to follow them, and over time, they’ll become your natural response.
All change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end. — The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma.