You Should Be Taking More Risks. Here’s How To Get Over Your Fear And Do It. | Sue Ashford
Mar 17, 2025
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Sue Ashford, an award-winning scholar at the University of Michigan, shares her insights on overcoming fear and perfectionism. She emphasizes the importance of developing a learning mindset over a performance mindset. Listeners will learn about 'flexing' as a strategy for personal growth, and practical tools for asking for and embracing feedback. Ashford also discusses the concept of re-storying to shift negative perspectives and the importance of savoring successes to enhance interpersonal effectiveness. Her advice helps pave the way for calculated risks and self-improvement.
Flexing allows individuals to integrate daily experiments into their lives, fostering personal growth through adaptable mindset shifts.
The transition from a performance mindset to a learning mindset enhances resilience, reduces anxiety, and promotes openness to feedback and growth.
Re-storying and savoring are essential practices that improve emotional resilience by shifting perspectives and appreciating successes.
Deep dives
Embracing Flexibility for Growth
Flexing refers to the approach of integrating small, daily experiments into life to achieve personal growth. This concept emphasizes the importance of being flexible in your mindset, allowing individuals to adapt their goals and methods based on their current situations. For example, someone aiming to improve their patience during family gatherings might implement practical strategies such as enlisting help or changing their expectations of perfection. By approaching growth in this flexible manner, individuals can choose when to engage with their improvement efforts and easily pivot as needed.
Mindsets Matter: Performance vs. Learning
The distinction between a performance mindset and a learning mindset is pivotal for personal development. A performance mindset focuses on proving one's abilities, leading to fear of failure and resistance to new challenges, while a learning mindset embraces growth and is open to experimenting and accepting feedback. Those with a learning mindset often experience less anxiety and are more resilient in the face of setbacks, as they believe they can learn from their experiences. This shift in perspective can enhance overall success and interpersonal effectiveness.
The Role of Feedback and Self-Reflection
Seeking feedback can be daunting, yet it is crucial for personal growth and understanding how one is perceived by others. It is essential to approach feedback with an open mind, framing it in a way that encourages constructive criticism rather than fear of judgment. For instance, rather than asking for general feedback, an individual might say, 'I’m working on becoming more approachable; how am I doing?' Seeking insight from diverse sources not only broadens understanding but also helps circumvent potential biases that can arise from only relying on familiar feedback channels. Additionally, taking time for self-reflection after receiving feedback can help synthesize the information and improve future performance.
Re-storying and Savoring Successes
The concepts of re-storying and savoring are valuable tools for enhancing emotional resilience and promoting a positive outlook. Re-storying involves changing one's internal narrative about a situation to focus on the potential for positive outcomes rather than negative interpretations, ultimately shifting emotional responses. Savoring, on the other hand, encourages individuals to take time to appreciate their successes, no matter how small, instead of rushing to the next goal. Regularly engaging in these practices fosters a more empowering mindset and can significantly boost self-confidence.
Implementation Intentions for Personal Growth
Implementation intentions serve as a strategic framework for achieving personal growth by setting clear, actionable goals. By framing intentions in an if-then format, individuals can create specific plans for their behavioral changes, such as, 'If I am in a meeting, then I will listen actively.' This clear outline helps to prepare individuals for challenges and ensures they remain committed to their growth objectives. By incorporating reminders and accountability mechanisms, such as adjusting contact names on phones, one can effectively remember and prioritize their flexing goals, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation.
How to reduce perfectionism and boost confidence so you can be more effective in every area of your life.
Susan (Sue) Ashford is an award-winning scholar and Professor at the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Her passion for helping people to be maximally effective in their work lives has driven her teaching and research work on self-management, proactivity, change from below, and leadership and its development.
