Job ads often mention the need for a “growth mindset,” but what does that really mean?

This article explains what a growth mindset is and shares practical ways you can build your own.

The Benefits of Having a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that your skills and abilities can improve over time with effort, practice, and patience. People who have this mindset see challenges and setbacks as chances to learn and improve. They trust that hard work can lead to success.

On the other hand, a fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and talent are set and cannot be changed. People with a fixed mindset often think they either have certain abilities or they don’t, and that trying harder won’t make a difference.

Many studies have shown the benefits of having a growth mindset:

• A global study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that students with a growth mindset scored higher on tests and had better overall well-being.
  
• A report by Harvard Business Review noted that managers in companies with a growth mindset had more positive opinions about their employees. They viewed them as more creative, willing to work together, eager to learn, and full of potential to become future leaders.
  
• According to the journal Brain Sciences, people with a growth mindset often:
  
  • Show improvement even without rewards
    
  • Have stronger motivation
    
  • Reach higher levels in their education
    
  • Handle academic stress better
    

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Here’s how the two mindsets differ in how they approach challenges and growth:

Growth Mindset Believes	Fixed Mindset Believes
I can learn it if I try.	If I’m not good at it, there’s no point in trying.
This is hard, but I’ll keep going.	This is hard, so I’ll stop.
Mistakes help me learn.	Mistakes are failures. It’s best not to take risks.
Working hard leads to success.	Talent alone leads to success. Effort won’t help.
I need to push myself to grow.	Struggles mean I’m just not good at something.

How Do Students With a Growth Mindset Handle Mistakes?

When students with a growth mindset make mistakes, they think:

• This helps me learn.
  
• I’ll keep trying to get better.
  
• It’s okay to take risks.
  
• I can learn from what others say.
  
• I’ll try again and learn more.
  
• I can solve this in a new way.
  
• Mistakes are normal in learning.
  
• I won’t give up.
  

10 Tips to Develop a Growth Mindset

If you feel you lean more toward a fixed mindset, you can still make a change. Here are some steps to help you develop a growth mindset:

1. Recognize Your Current Mindset
Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings when things don’t go as planned. Understanding how you react is the first step to change.

2. View Challenges as Chances to Grow
Tell yourself that challenges help you improve. It might feel strange at first, but keep saying it to help shift your thinking.

3. Be Patient With Yourself — Growth Takes Time
You won’t change overnight. Progress may come and go, and that’s normal. Remind yourself that learning is a process.

4. Focus on What You Do, Not Just Who You Are
Talking too much about your talents can support a fixed mindset. Instead, give yourself credit for your efforts and actions.

5. Talk to People With a Growth Mindset
Find people who have developed this mindset. Learn how they did it and listen to their advice.

6. Rethink Failure
As Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, once said, “I only discovered it by accident.” See failure as a way to explore and learn new things.

7. Write Down Your Goals
People who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. Make a list of what you want to work toward.

8. Celebrate Other People’s Success
There’s enough success for everyone. Be happy for others when they do well. Ask them what helped them succeed.

9. Ask for Feedback
Friends, family, or coworkers might see things you don’t. Listen to their suggestions as a way to improve, not as personal criticism.

10. Remember You’re Not Good at It — Yet
Adding “yet” to your thoughts can make a big difference. It reminds your brain that growth is possible with time and practice.