Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset: Why It Changed My Life (And Built My Business)

Before The Power Within Training existed, my career was… let’s say, colourful.

I started out thinking I was applying to fix TVs, and somehow ended up an apprentice electrician. From there, it was years on building sites, then a leap into the oil and gas industry, working with giants like Baker Hughes and Halliburton across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. I even built a $600 million business in Saudi Arabia from the ground up. Later, I shifted into HR and Talent Development in Dubai; a move that, unexpectedly, lit a fire in me for helping people grow.

But behind every title, every promotion, every project… there was one thing driving it all:

Mindset.

And let me tell you, there’s a world of difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset – or what we call Motivational Intelligence (MQ).

It’s not just theory. It’s personal, and it’s real. It’s the very foundation The Power Within Training is built on.

What’s the Difference?

A fixed mindset says:

“I’m either good at it or I’m not.”
“Failure means I’m no good.”
“I don’t want to try because I might look stupid.”

I’ve lived that. I saw it every day in the corporate world, on construction sites, in boardrooms. Good people, brilliant people, paralysed by fear of failure or stuck because they believed they couldn’t change.

A growth mindset (MQ) says:

“I can learn anything if I put in the effort.”
“Failure is feedback; a stepping stone.”
“Every challenge is a chance to get better.”

This shift, from fixed to growth, is the single biggest reason I’m where I am today.

Real Life: Not Just Fluffy Words

When I was made redundant just before Christmas 2016, working for Weatherford, it could have been a full stop.

Honestly, it felt like a punch to the gut. I had a young daughter, responsibilities… and zero income overnight.

The old me, the fixed mindset me, could have said:

“It’s over.”
“Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
“I’ll just get another job and play it safe.”

But Motivational Intelligence kicked in.

Instead, I thought:

“What can I build?”
“How can I use everything I’ve learned?”
“What if this isn’t happening to me, but for me?”

That moment, as brutal as it was, forced Enas (my wife, my rock, my business partner) and me to finally back ourselves.

It forced us to choose success over excuses.

And from that point, The Power Within Training was born.

Why Motivational Intelligence (MQ) Matters

Most people have heard of mindset. But Motivational Intelligence goes deeper.

It’s the why behind your actions. It’s your ability to:

Adapt when things change.
Keep going when things get tough.
Believe in your potential even when no one else does.
Take personal responsibility for your growth.

In short, MQ is what separates the people who dream… from the people who do.

At TPW, we built our programmes around MQ because it’s not just for business owners, CEOs, or “leaders.”
It’s for everyone.

It’s for:

The apprentice just starting out.
The manager struggling with self-doubt.
The person getting knocked back but still dreaming of something more.

If you can strengthen your MQ, you can change your life.

Full stop.

Lessons from the Journey

There have been pivotal moments, times I could have easily slipped into fixed mindset thinking:

Seeing older tradesmen miserable on sites as a young apprentice, thinking, “I don’t want that to be me.”
Facing corporate backstabbing and politics overseas, and learning when to walk away with dignity.
Starting a business during a downturn, when common sense told us to stay “safe.”
Dealing with ADHD and Dyslexia quietly, knowing that while my brain worked differently, it wasn’t broken, it was my edge.

Every single time, it came down to a choice:

Do I let circumstances define me?
Or do I define my future by how I respond?

That’s MQ in action.

The Role of Enas (Because No One Does It Alone)

I have to give a massive shoutout to Enas.

I’m the visionary; the ideas guy who’s already onto the next five goals before the first one’s landed.
Enas is the one who keeps the engine running, handling the finances, the operations, the things that, quite frankly, would leave me staring blankly at a spreadsheet.

She believed in the vision even when the bank balance didn’t.
She backed the big crazy dreams while making sure we could pay the bills.
She keeps me grounded, while still letting me fly.

Without her, there would be no Power Within Training. Simple as that.

Why This Matters (And Why I’m Sharing It)

Look, if you’re reading this and thinking, “That’s all well and good for you, James, but I’m stuck”…
I get it.

I’ve been there.

But the truth is, your success isn’t down to luck.
It’s not down to IQ.
It’s not down to where you started.

It’s down to mindset.
It’s down to Motivational Intelligence.
It’s down to choosing success over excuses, again and again, even when it’s hard.

That’s what we teach. That’s what we live.
And if you’re ready to shift from fixed to growth – from stuck to unstoppable – we’re ready to back you.

👉 Check out our leadership development programmes.
Let’s unlock your power within.

Because trust me, it’s there.
You just have to be willing to bet on yourself.

James Fleming
The Power Within Training,
The Motivational Intelligence Company
james@tpwtd.com