In the past decade or so, you may have heard the term âgrowth mindsetâ thrown around a lot. Many podcasters, influencers, self-improvement coaches, etc. talk about how important it is to have a growth mindset and that itâs something we should all be striving for.
But what is a growth mindset? And why does it seem to matter so much? And finally, if itâs so great, how can we actually develop one?
The term âgrowth mindsetâ was first coined by Dr. Carol Dweck, an American psychologist, after studying the behavior of thousands of children. In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dr. Dweck actually coined two terms: growth mindset and fixed mindset. These terms help us better understand peopleâs underlying assumptions about intelligence and their ability to learn.
Essentially, a fixed mindset describes a belief that we are only as intelligent and talented as we are now, and that no amount of hard work can really affect that. Those with fixed mindsets may find themselves feeling embarrassed when they donât get something right on the first try since they are often worried about how others perceive their intelligence, skills, and abilities.
A growth mindset, on the other hand, describes a belief that we can grow smarter and more skilled with hard work, effort, and time. Itâs about believing that you can grow, change, and improve.
Through her studies, Dr. Dweck discovered that students with growth mindsets significantly outperformed children with fixed mindsets. Believing that you have the ability to grow actually has a huge effect on morale and ultimate success.
But why is this?
As it turns out, when you have a growth mindset, youâre more likely to try new things, explore new possibilities, and youâre not afraid to fail or experience setbacks because you know that those are just a part of the process.
Dr. Dweck writes of the growth mindset:
âThe passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when itâs not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.â
So if a growth mindset helps students become more successful and happier, how can we cultivate a growth mindset in ourselves? Here are a few ways you can start training your brain to think with a growth mindset instead of a fixed one:
Stop worrying about if youâre smart enough, start worrying if youâre working hard enough
As Dr. Dweck explains:
âGenius is not enough; we need to get the job done.â
At the end of the day, does it really matter how intelligent you are if you get the job done? Of course not. The most important thing is whether you put in your best effort.
To cultivate a growth mindset, stop judging your worth based on how smart you perceive yourself to be and start focusing on trying your best, learning along the way, and enjoying the process.
Developing a powerful mindset is crucial for reaching your goals. For a comprehensive approach to cultivating the right mindset and staying motivated, check out our Mindset & Motivation Guide.
Reframe failures as learning opportunities
A hallmark of the growth mindset is a reframing of failures as learning opportunities. People with fixed mindsets often see failures as reflections of their own intelligence or skill, so they end up giving up when confronted with disappointment.
But instead of seeing failure as a negative thing, reframe it as an opportunity to learn something. So it didnât work, what could you try instead? If this set of actions resulted in failure, how could you change things next time to result in success?
This is a huge part of developing a growth mindset and will keep you headed forward instead of falling behind.
Reframe setbacks as part of the process
Similarly, itâs important to remember that setbacks, failures, frustrations, disappointments, etc. are 100% natural.
How many times did Edison try to make a lightbulb? How many setbacks did Oprah Winfrey face on her journey to fame? How many times have you yourself experienced a setback, but continued on regardless?
A setback or failure is not something to be ashamed of, but embraced. Learn from it, appreciate it, then move on.
Praise effort rather than outcomes
In Dr. Dweckâs book, she writes:
âAfter seven experiments with hundreds of children, we had some of the clearest findings Iâve ever seen: Praising childrenâs intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance. How can that be? Donât children love to be praised? Yes, children love praise. And they especially love to be praised for their intelligence and talent. It really does give them a boost, a special glowâbut only for the moment. The minute they hit a snag, their confidence goes out the window and their motivation hits rock bottom. If success means theyâre smart, then failure means theyâre dumb. Thatâs the fixed mindset.â
Dr. Dweck brilliantly sums up what is so insidious about the fixed mindset: praise itself is not always productive.
Even if you congratulate yourself, you may end up hurting long term. Itâs important to remember that praising your intelligence and talent wonât help you grow and learn. Instead, praising hard work and tenacity is a better way to develop the growth mindset and encourage improvement.
Donât be afraid to ask questions
One trait that people with growth mindsets often exhibit is the ability to ask questions.
Of course, we can all ask questions. But those with growth mindsets are not afraid to appear silly, strange, or unintelligent for asking them.
Rather than worrying about how others will perceive your intelligence when asking a question, focus on trying your best to learn and grow. You obviously canât be expected to know everything or to do everything on your own. So reach out when you need help. Ask questions when you donât know. That is where real intelligence is formed.
As Dr. Dweck writes:
âTrue self-confidence is âthe courage to be openâto welcome change and new ideas regardless of their source.â Real self-confidence is not reflected in a title, an expensive suit, a fancy car, or a series of acquisitions. It is reflected in your mindset: your readiness to grow.â
Take on new challenges
People with growth mindsets deeply believe that they can learn and become anything if they apply themselves.
But if youâre currently stuck in a fixed mindset, this might be hard to believe right away.
So in order to start seeing it in action, take on a new challenge. Start with something small and manageable that you know you can do. When you accomplish it, move on to something a bit larger that maybe youâre not so sure you can do.
Over time, youâll realize that itâs totally possible for you to improve your skills, abilities, and talents. You just need to put in the effort and time.
Final ThoughtsâŚ
In her book, Dr. Dweck writes:
âWe like to think of our champions and idols as superheroes who were born different from us. We donât like to think of them as relatively ordinary people who made themselves extraordinary.â
Why donât we like to think this way? Well, maybe because it means there really is no excuse for us not to be as extraordinary as our champions and idols. Maybe because it means that the only thing holding us back this whole time was ourselves. Maybe because if we accept that our champions and idols are really just ordinary people who worked hard, then in order to become great, we have to work hard too â and maybe that sounds exhausting.
Whatever the reason, once we acknowledge that intelligence, talent, skills, abilities, etc. can be improved upon with effort, an endless array of possibilities opens up to us.
With a growth mindset, suddenly anything is possible. You can get a better job. You can ace your chemistry test. Sure, there will be setbacks, but your abilities will improve.
And perhaps more importantly, failures donât seem so bleak. Setbacks arenât a reflection of your self-worth. Frustrations donât mean itâs time to give up â they just mean itâs time to pivot. And isnât that just a more exciting, joyful way to live?
So in whatever small ways you can, begin to explore what it feels like to have a growth mindset. You may just be surprised at all the amazing things you accomplish.
