Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat’s a Growth Mindset?CharacteristicsExamplesBenefitsDeveloping a Growth MindsetOvercoming Obstacles and Setbacks with a Growth Mindset

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What’s a Growth Mindset?

Characteristics

Examples

Benefits

Developing a Growth Mindset

Overcoming Obstacles and Setbacks with a Growth Mindset

Close

When we’re chasing ourgoals, the secret to success might just be in the way we approach them. We can choose to adopt a growth mindset or a fixed mindset.

Being willing to put in the hard work and being open to learning are signs of a growth mindset. The trick is to believe that we can improve our skills and abilities if we put in the effort.

On the other hand, a fixed mindset has us believing that we either have what it takes or we don’t. This mindset can be limiting because it keeps us from learning and growing.

Ashley Peña, LCSW, executive director at Mission ConnectionA simple example of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset is ‘I’m not good at yoga,’ versus ‘I’m not good at yogayet.’

Ashley Peña, LCSW, executive director at Mission Connection

A simple example of a fixed mindset versus a growth mindset is ‘I’m not good at yoga,’ versus ‘I’m not good at yogayet.’

Yourmindsettruly is your secret weapon when it comes to achieving your goals, saysOctavia Goredema, a career coach and author of “Prep, Push, Pivot.”

Remind Me Again—What Is a Growth Mindset?

People with growth mindsets see abilities, talents, andintelligenceas something one can learn and improve through their own hard work, Goredema explains. On the contrary, she says someone with a fixed mindset sees those same traits as set in stone and unchangeable.

Your mindset truly is your secret weapon when it comes to achieving your goals.—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

Your mindset truly is your secret weapon when it comes to achieving your goals.

—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

Ourmindsetcan affect how we view challenges and obstacles. People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities for growth and discovery; whereas those with a fixed mindset see them as impossible obstacles and tend to confine themselves to the boundaries of their comfort zones, Peña adds.

A challenging situation can feel insurmountable to someone with a fixed mindset, because they don’t see room for improvement. They believe that if they don’t already have the skills to do it, they’ll probably fail. As a result, they may not even try.

What Are 5 Characteristics of a Growth Mindset?

These are five characteristics of a growth mindset:

How to Deal With the Fear of Failure

Examples of a Growth Mindset

These are some examples of a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset.

Learning a New Skill

Fixed mindset:“I can’t learn to play an instrument. I’m just not musical.”

Growth mindset:“If Ipracticeregularly, I can probably learn how to play this instrument.”

Facing a Professional Challenge

Fixed mindset:“I’ve never given a presentation before. I’ll probably mess this up.”

Growth mindset:“This is my first presentation. I’m actually quite excited at the opportunity! I’m going to prepare thoroughly.”

Dealing With Feedback at Work

Fixed mindset:“My boss wasn’t happy with my report. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

Growth mindset:“My manager gave me some helpful feedback. I’ll definitely work on it.”

Approaching an Interview

Fixed mindset:“I don’t think I’m qualified for this job. I should decline the interview.”

Growth mindset:“This is my dream job. I can definitely learn the skills I need to be good at it.”

Fixed mindset:“We always have the sameissues. This relationship is doomed.”

Growth mindset:“Let’s discuss things, I’m sure we can work them out.”

Working Toward a Physical Fitness Goal

Fixed mindset:“I tried doing a push-up but I couldn’t. I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”

Growth mindset:“Getting fit is a journey. If I work toward it every day, I’ll be able to do a push-up someday.”

Tackling a Challenging Task

Fixed mindset:“I can’t do this!”

Growth mindset:“Challenge accepted!”

Thomas Edison embodied the growth mindset. Although it took him over 10,000 tries, he persisted in his efforts to invent the first lightbulb. When someone asked him about the 10,000 failed attempts, he famously said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Benefits of a Growth Mindset

These are some of the benefits of a growth mindset:

We are all human and it’s almost impossible to avoid setbacks when you’re pursuing something that really matters. A growth mindset helps you get through the tougher times and encourages you to continue to bet on yourself, no matter what.—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

We are all human and it’s almost impossible to avoid setbacks when you’re pursuing something that really matters. A growth mindset helps you get through the tougher times and encourages you to continue to bet on yourself, no matter what.

How to Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

What Are Some Ways You Can Develop a Growth Mindset?

It’s never too late to change your mindset. Pena explains that shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is possible because our brains possess the capacity to evolve and expand, a trait known asneuroplasticity.

These are some strategies that can help you develop a growth mindset:

22 Best Motivational Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

These are some steps that can help you navigate challenges with a growth mindset:

10 Healthy Ways to Cope With Failure

Parting Words

A growth mindset can be a powerful tool. Luckily, research shows us that it’s never too late to change our mindset, and we can learn to develop a growth mindset if we want to. It’s all about keeping an open mind and looking at challenges as opportunities instead of obstacles.

So, the next time something difficult comes your way, step up and say, “Challenge accepted!” You’ve got this!

How to Be More Confident: 9 Tips That Work

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Business School.Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset: what’s the difference?Harvard Business Review.What having a “growth mindset” actually means.New Jersey.Thomas Edison.Tao W, Zhao D, Yue H, Horton I, Tian X, Xu Z, Sun HJ.The influence of growth mindset on the mental health and life events of college students.Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 14;13:821206. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.821206Schroder HS.Mindsets in the clinic: Applying mindset theory to clinical psychology.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021 Feb;83:101957. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101957Ng B.The neuroscience of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation.Brain Sci. 2018 Jan 26;8(2):20. doi:10.3390/brainsci8020020Dweck CS, Yeager DS.Mindsets: A view from two eras.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2019 May;14(3):481-496. doi:10.1177/1745691618804166Yeager DS, Dweck CS.What can be learned from growth mindset controversies?Am Psychol. 2020 Dec;75(9):1269-1284. doi:10.1037/amp0000794Blankert T, Hamstra MR.Imagining success: multiple achievement goals and the effectiveness of imagery.Basic Appl Soc Psych. 2017 Jan 2;39(1):60-67. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2016.1255947

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Business School.Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset: what’s the difference?Harvard Business Review.What having a “growth mindset” actually means.New Jersey.Thomas Edison.Tao W, Zhao D, Yue H, Horton I, Tian X, Xu Z, Sun HJ.The influence of growth mindset on the mental health and life events of college students.Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 14;13:821206. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.821206Schroder HS.Mindsets in the clinic: Applying mindset theory to clinical psychology.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021 Feb;83:101957. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101957Ng B.The neuroscience of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation.Brain Sci. 2018 Jan 26;8(2):20. doi:10.3390/brainsci8020020Dweck CS, Yeager DS.Mindsets: A view from two eras.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2019 May;14(3):481-496. doi:10.1177/1745691618804166Yeager DS, Dweck CS.What can be learned from growth mindset controversies?Am Psychol. 2020 Dec;75(9):1269-1284. doi:10.1037/amp0000794Blankert T, Hamstra MR.Imagining success: multiple achievement goals and the effectiveness of imagery.Basic Appl Soc Psych. 2017 Jan 2;39(1):60-67. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2016.1255947

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Harvard Business School.Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset: what’s the difference?Harvard Business Review.What having a “growth mindset” actually means.New Jersey.Thomas Edison.Tao W, Zhao D, Yue H, Horton I, Tian X, Xu Z, Sun HJ.The influence of growth mindset on the mental health and life events of college students.Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 14;13:821206. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.821206Schroder HS.Mindsets in the clinic: Applying mindset theory to clinical psychology.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021 Feb;83:101957. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101957Ng B.The neuroscience of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation.Brain Sci. 2018 Jan 26;8(2):20. doi:10.3390/brainsci8020020Dweck CS, Yeager DS.Mindsets: A view from two eras.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2019 May;14(3):481-496. doi:10.1177/1745691618804166Yeager DS, Dweck CS.What can be learned from growth mindset controversies?Am Psychol. 2020 Dec;75(9):1269-1284. doi:10.1037/amp0000794Blankert T, Hamstra MR.Imagining success: multiple achievement goals and the effectiveness of imagery.Basic Appl Soc Psych. 2017 Jan 2;39(1):60-67. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2016.1255947

Harvard Business School.Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset: what’s the difference?

Harvard Business Review.What having a “growth mindset” actually means.

New Jersey.Thomas Edison.

Tao W, Zhao D, Yue H, Horton I, Tian X, Xu Z, Sun HJ.The influence of growth mindset on the mental health and life events of college students.Front Psychol. 2022 Apr 14;13:821206. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.821206

Schroder HS.Mindsets in the clinic: Applying mindset theory to clinical psychology.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021 Feb;83:101957. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101957

Ng B.The neuroscience of growth mindset and intrinsic motivation.Brain Sci. 2018 Jan 26;8(2):20. doi:10.3390/brainsci8020020

Dweck CS, Yeager DS.Mindsets: A view from two eras.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2019 May;14(3):481-496. doi:10.1177/1745691618804166

Yeager DS, Dweck CS.What can be learned from growth mindset controversies?Am Psychol. 2020 Dec;75(9):1269-1284. doi:10.1037/amp0000794

Blankert T, Hamstra MR.Imagining success: multiple achievement goals and the effectiveness of imagery.Basic Appl Soc Psych. 2017 Jan 2;39(1):60-67. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2016.1255947

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?