Mindsets refers to the sets of beliefs (and their accompanying thoughts and emotions) that shape how you navigate and make sense of the world, and your place and identity within it. It influences how you think, choose, act, communicate, and behave in any given situation, interaction, or moment, and play a key role in how you handle whatever comes your way in life. Most people are shaped by the environments they grew up in and the attitudes, biases, beliefs, likes and dislikes, etc. they adopted within them, which may often go unquestioned as they grow older. However, this does not mean you are stuck with them - even though changing your mindsets may make people who expect you to behave the way they want you to may feel threatened. The deep human need to belong is often an obstacle when this happens, and can prompt considerable inner conflict. We all have the ability to change our mindsets and start anew, and should not be automatically held to who we were, what we believed, and the mistakes we've made in the past that were based upon incorrect information, unwise choices, and/or the undue influences from others.

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Each of us has the power to change our Mindsets, which in turn, changes our behavior. One of the biggest realizations students express to me when they begin to be proactive with Mindset shifts is: “I realized I don’t have to believe everything I think." Each of us can always choose differently. But sustainable human learning, development, and growth must also include unlearning unproductive and harmful behavioral habits, thinking, and believing - and that doesn't happen instantaneously. 

Mindsets also have a strong influence upon the effectiveness of learning and embodying the Skillsets we choose to learn compared to those we have  to learn. They also impact your attitudes about learning particular skillsets and any self-limiting or self-sabotaging beliefs that can thwart your success in acquiring the knowledge contained in any Skillsets course or training. A famous quote from the late Henry Ford**(see below), “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right,” emphasizes how much attitude determines our learning success or failure. This attitude, brought into learning, development and growth by Carol Dweck, PhD, has been widely studied and taught as a determining factor as to whether we have what she calls a Growth Mindset (open to new knowledge, adaptable, resilient, and being willing to change how we see ourselves and the world) or a Fixed Mindset (rigid, close-minded, wanting to cling to the known, and believing that what we are stuck with what are born with). Her position is that Mindsets are a choice we make - and that choice determines our success in many areas of life. She applies this not only to individuals, but organizational, team, and group cultures.

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Skillsets are the knowledge, abilities, and experiences required to proficiently perform a job or task.  

• Hard Skills: Hard/technical/task-oriented skills are aptitudes you possess from your educational background, vocational trainings and work experience. They often refer to your ability to use particular types of tools or equipment, anywhere from computers, to hair styling, to truck driving, to surgery, to landscaping, to playing a musical instrument, to operating heavy machinery. Low Touch learning delivery formats often work well here.

• Soft Skills: So-called "soft skills" illustrate how you interact with others and solve non-technical problems, both personally and professionally. They are often much harder  to acquire for many than hard/technical skills and require High Touch learning facilitation.

• Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are versatile, meaning you can use them in any professional role. Although you may practice them for different reasons, they essentially have the same definition.

• Job-specific skills: Employers may require specific abilities applicable to the position, which can be soft, hard or transferable skills. For example, if you want to work as a customer service representative, then the job-specific skills may be customer service, conflict resolution, interpersonal communication etc. Hard skills can include computer programming, vehicle mechanics, etc.