You may have heard the term “growth mindset” thrown around in self-help groups. What is it, though? Is it a secret to success that makes people happier and more satisfied with their lives? And how do you go about making one for yourself?

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is the idea that people can get smarter and better at what they do by working hard and learning new things.

Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, wrote a book called “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” that helped spread the idea of a growth mindset.

Carol Dweck and some of her colleagues became interested in how students felt about failing more than 30 years ago.

They saw that some students got back on their feet, while others couldn’t handle even the smallest setbacks.

After looking at how thousands of children behaved, Dr. Dweck came up with the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset” to describe how people think about learning and intelligence.

Growth mindset vs Fixed mindset.

A person with a fixed mindset thinks that their abilities and intelligence are fixed and can’t change. This way of thinking can make you afraid of failing and hesitant to try new things or take on challenges. It can also make you want to prove yourself and your skills to others.

A growth mindset is the idea that people can get smarter and better at what they do by working hard and learning. This way of thinking can make you more willing to take on challenges, more focused on learning and growth, and more resilient when things don’t go as planned. Having a growth mindset has been linked to better mental health and well-being, as well as more success in school and work.

Dr. Dweck says that these two ways of thinking are present from a young age and shape a lot of our behavior, relationships, and ways of dealing with successes and failures. In her words:

Believing that your qualities are carved in stone creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character, well then you’d better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn’t do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics.

How to develop a growth mindset?

By having a growth mindset, you can make it more likely that you will reach your goals, reach your full potential, and start living a more satisfying life. Still, no one says that developing it is easy. Developing a growth mindset can involve several strategies:

1. Challenge fixed mindset thoughts

When you find yourself thinking in a fixed mindset way, try to identify and challenge the thought. For example, if you find yourself thinking “I’ll never be good at this,” try reframing the thought as “I’m not good at this yet, but I can learn and improve with practice.” By challenging these fixed mindset thoughts and re-framing them in a growth mindset way, you can change your focus from proving yourself to others to learning and growing.

2. Embrace challenges

Instead of avoiding challenges, try to seek them out and view them as opportunities for growth and learning. People are more likely to step outside of their comfort zones and take risks when they accept challenges. This can help them be more creative and come up with new ideas. It can also help them do better in school and in their careers. People can also become more resilient by taking on challenges and learning from them. This makes them better able to bounce back from setbacks and failures.

3. Practice self-reflection

Take time to reflect on your own learning and progress. This can help you see the progress you have made and give you a sense of control over your abilities. Self-reflection can also help people see where they need to grow and change. By thinking about how they did, people can figure out where they might need to put more effort in order to get better. Also, people can learn more about the strategies and techniques that work best for them by thinking about their own learning and progress. This can help them learn more quickly and effectively.

4. Learn from feedback

Seek out feedback from others and use it to improve yourself. When someone asks for feedback, they’re more likely to get it and use it to get better. They see feedback as a helpful way to learn and improve, not as a personal attack. They are open to constructive feedback and use it as a chance to think about how they did and figure out what they could do better.

5. Embrace failure

Failure is an inevitable part of learning and growth. Instead of fearing failure, try to view it as a learning opportunity and a stepping stone to future success. This can help them be more creative and come up with new ideas. It can also help them do better in school and in their careers. By accepting failure and learning from it, people can also become more resilient and better able to get back on their feet after a setback or failure.

6. Be curious

Cultivate a sense of curiosity about the world and about yourself. This can help you to see new opportunities for learning and growth. People who are curious tend to be more open-minded and receptive to different ideas and points of view. They are also more willing to try out new things and new ways of thinking. This can help people be more creative, come up with new ideas, and solve problems better.

7. Surround yourself with growth-minded people

Being around people who have a growth mindset can also give people valuable role models and mentors who can help them develop a growth mindset themselves. They can talk about their own experiences, strategies, and insights that can help others develop their own growth mindset.

It’s important to keep in mind that developing a growth mindset is a continuous process, it takes time and effort, but the benefits can be tremendous.

Benefits of achieving a growth mindset.

Achieving a growth mindset can have many benefits, both in personal and professional life. Some of the main benefits include:

Greater academic and professional success: When someone has a growth mindset, they are more likely to see challenges as chances to learn and grow rather than as threats to their abilities or intelligence.

This can make people more motivated and interested in activities, which can help them do better in school and at work.

Embrace challenges because people with a “growth mindset” are more likely to see them as chances to learn and improve.

Increased resilience: A growth mindset can help individuals to bounce back from setbacks and failures and to view them as learning opportunities rather than as personal failures.

People who have a growth mindset know that failure is a natural and necessary part of learning and growing, and they see it as a chance to learn and grow.

This can help them feel more in charge of their own skills and intelligence and be more resilient when things don’t go as planned.

Greater creativity and innovation: A growth mindset can lead to a greater willingness to take risks and try new things, which can in turn lead to greater creativity and innovation.

A growth mindset can help you be more flexible and adaptable, as well as help you solve problems and think of new ideas.

People with a “growth mindset” don’t see problems as problems to be solved, but as lessons to be learned.

Since they are coming to the problem with an open mind, they are more likely to come up with original and useful ideas for how to fix it.

Better mental health and well-being: A growth mindset has been linked to better mental health and well-being, including greater self-esteem, less stress and anxiety, and greater life satisfaction.

Adopting a growth mindset can make you more positive and help you see your own and other people’s potential for growth and improvement.

This can improve their emotional health and well-being by giving them a chance to get closer to other people and feel more like they belong in their community.

Greater motivation and engagement: A growth mindset can lead to greater motivation and engagement in activities, as individuals see the potential for growth and improvement.

Progress is a strong motivator, and a growth mindset can help you feel like you’re making more of it.

When people can see themselves getting better and stronger, it gives them more confidence and makes them want to keep going.

Improved relationships: A growth mindset can help individuals to build stronger relationships with others, as they are more open to learning and growth in themselves and in others.

A growth mindset can make you more open to new ideas and points of view, which can help you build stronger relationships with other people.

When people are open to different points of view, they are more likely to be able to understand and appreciate the views of others.

This can lead to more trust, respect, and cooperation in their relationships.

More adaptability: A growth mindset can make people more adaptable to changes and new situations, as they see opportunities for growth and learning instead of fearing failure.

Having a growth mindset can make you more open to different ideas and points of view, which can help you adapt.

When people are open to different points of view, they are more likely to be able to understand and appreciate the views of others and to be able to adapt to new situations, environments, and cultures.

More self-awareness and self-regulation: A growth mindset allows for better self-awareness and self-regulation, helping people to manage their emotions and reactions in a more effective way.

Self-awareness lets people know their own strengths and weaknesses and how their thoughts, feelings, and actions affect them and other people.

This can help them set goals that are realistic, make decisions that are better for them, and take responsibility for their actions.

The ability to manage and control one’s own thoughts, feelings, and actions is called self-regulation.

When people have a growth mindset, they are more likely to be able to control their own emotions, thoughts, and actions.

This can help them stay focused and interested in their work, be more open to new ideas and perspectives, and make better decisions.