In Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Pshycoholgy of Success she discusses the importance of our mindset. She draws a vast distinction between what she labels a fixed mindset and 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. Contrast this with a fixed mindset, where our abilities and our intelligence are fixed. People with this mindset believe you’re either born with it or you aren’t!
If you haven’t guessed, we should all be striving for a growth mindset. The good news is if you tend to have a fixed mindset you can mindfully adopt a growth mindset. I highly recommend reading Carol’s book as she provides a plethora of anecdotes and tips for adopting a growth mindset.
That being said, here are three practical things you can do to practice a growth mindset:
- Embrace challenges
Challenges can be intimidating, but they are also opportunities for growth and learning. When we approach challenges with a growth mindset, we see them as opportunities to develop new skills and abilities. Instead of avoiding challenges, we can embrace them and learn from them.
To practice embracing challenges, start by identifying a challenge that you have been avoiding. Maybe it’s learning a new skill, starting a new project, or tackling a difficult task at work. Instead of avoiding it, commit to facing the challenge head-on. Break it down into smaller, more manageable steps, and focus on making progress every day. As you make progress on this challenge stop to reflect. Write down what you’ve learned since you started (even if it seems small). This will help reinforce the idea that growth is possible.
- Learn from failure
Failure is a natural part of the learning process, and it’s essential to developing a growth mindset. A lot of people, myself included, stink at embracing failure. If you grew up in western schooling, you were taught to avoid failure like the plague. However, when we approach failure with a growth mindset, we see it as an opportunity to learn and improve. Instead of getting discouraged or giving up, we use failure as a stepping stone to success.
To practice learning from failure, start by reframing your mindset around failure. Instead of seeing it as a negative experience, view it as a learning opportunity. When you experience failure, take time to reflect on what went wrong and what you can do differently next time. Use your failure as a source of motivation to improve and try again.
- Seek out feedback
Feedback is an essential part of the learning process, and it’s crucial for developing a growth mindset. When we seek out feedback, we open ourselves up to new perspectives and ideas. Feedback helps us identify areas where we can improve and gives us the tools we need to grow and develop.
To practice seeking out feedback, start by asking for feedback from someone you trust. It could be a colleague, friend, or family member. Be open to their feedback, even if it’s critical. Use their feedback to identify areas where you can improve and develop a plan to work on those areas.
Practicing a growth mindset takes dedication and hard work. However, the benefits are worth it.
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”
Theodore Roosevelt
Mindful Matters 
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