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"I grew up in a family where money was always a source of tension," Tran Minh Quan begins. "When I started earning from my investment work, my first reaction wasn't joy — it was anxiety about losing it."
This is survival mindset: the brain constantly scanning for threats instead of opportunities. It once helped our ancestors survive, but in modern business, it becomes a barrier to growth.
Three Signs of a Survival Mindset
According to Quan, there are 3 clear signs: Fear of hiring people smarter than you; Hoarding information for fear of being copied; and Avoiding risk at all costs even when opportunities are strong. "Shifting to a growth mindset starts with one question: what's the worst that could happen — and could I survive it? The answer is almost always yes."
“A survival mindset is an invisible prison. You can't see the bars, but every decision is constrained by them.”