A mindset is a fixed mental attitude that predetermines a person’s responses to (and interpretations of) situations. Essentially, our mindset determines our behaviour. Developing the best mindset is the way you can learn something new, adopt new information, alter your beliefs and act accordingly. It’s important to adjust our mindsets to survive and thrive in the real world. Experts agree that our mindset is not a result of nature or nurture, genes or environment. There’s a constant give and take between each: the physical and the mental. As eminent American neuroscientist Gilbert Gottlieb puts it, not only do genes and environment cooperate as we develop, but genes actually require input from the environment to work properly. You have the means to shift your mindset to create the life or attitude that you want and need. A fixed mindset will cloud your judgment. You’ll avoid challenges, you’ll give up when things aren’t going right and you’ll think that you’re not good enough. It’s the belief that you should be terrific instantly and that you can’t improve or get better by effort. But, change is possible. It isn’t easy – but it’s not hugely hard either. The first step is to start and be aware of how your mindset is holding you back.