Remember that silly but fun game of adding the phrase “in bed” the end of a fortune cookie saying?

“You shall have a satisfying year.”… in bed.

“Those who treat each other with kindness, will receive kindness.“….in bed.

I have a new favorite word that can do similar magic, but transform your mindset.

Open it to possibilities. With one simple word.

Here it is: Yet. 

Carole Dweck, a pioneer in social psychology at Stanford University, has been working on mindset research for years.  To bottom line some of her work, people have one of two basic mindsets – fixed or open.

By adding the word yet to a sentence, we can open a fixed mindset, and see new potential.

Let me give a few examples:

“I haven’t left big law, yet.”

“I don’t know what else I want to do next, yet.” 

“I haven’t figured out how to manage with less income, yet.”

With YET you open your mind to see new opportunities and solutions.  You implicitly trust that you are smart, capable and will figure it out.

Which of course you are, and will.