What is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. It’s the idea that our potential is not predetermined by our genetics or upbringing, but rather that we can continually grow and improve throughout our lives. People with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, and view failures as opportunities for growth.

The concept of a growth mindset was popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck in her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” (2006). In her research, Dweck found that people with a growth mindset were more likely to achieve their goals and overcome obstacles than those with a fixed mindset, who believed that their abilities and intelligence were fixed traits.

Dweck’s research has been supported by numerous studies in psychology and education. For example, a study by Yeager and Dweck (2012) found that students who were taught a growth mindset in a brief workshop were more likely to persevere through challenging academic tasks and achieve higher grades.

Another study by Haimovitz and Dweck (2017) found that teaching a growth mindset to low-income, at-risk students improved their academic achievement and reduced the achievement gap between them and their more affluent peers.

Overall, the concept of a growth mindset has gained widespread acceptance in psychology and education as a key factor in achieving success and personal growth. The concept of a growth mindset may not seem that novel, but its implications are. Sometimes we get stuck believing in our limitations. This causes a feedback loop where we stay in our comfort zone to avoid pain, failure, or embarrassment – which keeps us stuck. By adopting a growth mindset you’ll begin to shift your outlook. The pressure of having to be the best at something or getting the perfect output begins to wash away. The goal becomes improving not perfecting.