The Development and Importance of Having a Growth Mindset

“If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree.” It’s a straightforward quote by Jim Rohn that holds a lot of power. At the same time, it illuminates the idea of what it’s like to have a growth mindset. Now, you may be wondering, “What is a growth mindset?” Lucky for you, we’re here to cover what a growth mindset means and how to develop a growth mindset.

Let’s jump right in!

What Does Growth Mindset Mean?

A growth mindset is the understanding that abilities and intelligence are learnable characteristics, rather than set in stone or unchangeable. This means that if you have a growth mindset, you believe that you can progress and learn new things through dedicated effort.

On the other hand, a person with a fixed mindset believes that these characteristics, such as intelligence and talents, are unchangeable and innately as-is.

For example, if you have a growth mindset and want to start your own business, you may need to create a website. With this determined and flexible mindset, you know that you can learn the skills you need to make your vision come to fruition. If instead, you have a fixed mindset, you may find yourself giving up before you begin at all.

The Importance of Having a Growth Mindset

Regardless of your current standing in life, having a growth mindset is of great value to overcoming challenges, learning new skills, fulfilling goals, and dreams, and prospering professionally and personally.

 It’s also especially useful for students to hone because you’re constantly being thrown new topics and information. With a growth mindset, you’ll set yourself up for success to be able to accomplish both short and long-term goals.

Just by having the understanding that you can get better and learn new things, you are a step ahead of someone with a fixed mindset who would rather stay stagnant than try and fail (and then succeed).

What are the 5 Characteristics of a Growth Mindset?

People with a growth mindset share some things in common. Although everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are different, having a growth mindset means that you believe you can be good at anything with good practice, time, and effort.

Some of the characteristics that represent having a growth mindset include:

• Welcoming feedback: Since a person with a growth mindset wants to learn and better themself, they are open to feedback as they realize the benefits that come along with it. 
• Feeling Inspired by Others: When other people succeed, this kind of person is inspired by it rather than jealous or threatened. Other people can lead the way forward for a person with a growth mindset to learn from. 
• Accepting Challenges: Since honing new skills and talents isn’t always easy, anyone with a growth mindset embraces challenges rather than runs from them. 
• Embracing Mistakes: Rather than feeling ashamed of making mistakes, they offer an opportunity for improvement. 
• Putting in the Effort: Nothing good in life comes easy, and people with a growth mindset understand this truth. As such, they are willing to put in the effort to master new talents and overcome challenges. 

What are 3 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset?

The great thing about a growth mindset is that even if you don’t have one now, you can develop one yourself! The first step is believing that you can and understanding that most things in life, from abilities to thoughts, are changeable and within your control.

In order to move forward with a positive outlook and establish this type of pattern, consider:

1.    Move Toward Challenges

If something feels challenging or stressful, there’s a high chance it’s because it consists of a lot of unknowns (or unknowns to you). By moving towards challenges, you offer yourself a space to grow and become better. Even if you’re not great at the start, with time and practice, you’ll get better. So, focus on slow progress over no progress.

2.    Attempt Different Learning Styles

Everyone learns differently and in their own way. Find the best learning methods for yourself and use them to improve each day. You may prefer to listen to audio recordings or watch a video as opposed to reading instructions. Whatever works for you is perfectly good to use!

3.    Practice Self-Compassion

Perhaps one of the most valuable traits to possess while developing a growth mindset is to be kind to yourself. Rather than scolding yourself and being ashamed of mistakes or failures, be patient and remind yourself that you are getting better with each day. Be aware of your thoughts as they dictate your actions.

Closing Thoughts

Equipped with the answer to, “What is a growth mindset?” the seeds are in your palms to plant and grow. By developing or strengthening an existing growth mindset, you are equipping yourself with a positive attitude and outlook to reach your highest potential.

Since there are definitely things in life that are outside of your control, it’s best to start by controlling the voice in your head (a.k.a. Your own thoughts) and mindset. This sets you up for how you will approach challenges, opportunities, and everything that’s yet to come!