We’ve all heard the word mindset. It’s the mental attitude held by someone. But how exactly does it affect our everyday lives? Our mindset not only affects the way that we think but allows us to learn new skills, develop healthy self-esteem, and impact how we respond to mistakes. Most importantly, it is responsible for how we learn and perceive the world around us. In the past, philosophers and psychologists believed that intelligence was fixed and cannot be changed. Carol Dweck, a Stanford University Psychologist completely changed the stigmatism regarding intelligence when she published her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Her research in neuroscience proved that the brain is constantly changing and highlighted how mindset alters our intelligence.

She showed that those with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence cannot change or be improved. In comparison, those with a growth mindset believe that intelligence is something that can be developed.

But, how does this affect the way that we learn?

Carol Dweck found that students with a fixed mindset tend to not challenge themselves and become helpless when they make mistakes. They do not strive to grow but are fixated on proving that they are smart. Additionally, they ignore criticism, feel threatened by the success of others, and see effort as useless. Individuals with a fixed mindset often plateau early and do not reach their full potential.

However, students with a growth mindset openly embrace challenges and are much more resilient. They use their mistakes as a chance to become better and remain persistent in the face of challenges. They find inspiration in the success of others and view effort as a path to mastery. Individuals with a growth mindset tend to reach much higher levels of achievement.

So, how do you develop a growth mindset?

1. Educate yourself

Knowledge is power. The more you know about something, the better you can apply it in your own life. So, the first step is to educate yourself. There are a plethora of good resources about growth and fixed mindsets, including some good TEDTalks from Carol Dweck herself, Eduardo Briceno, and Surbhi Sachdev. Additionally, you can read Carol Dweck’s book, which contains her original research about the importance of mindset.

2. Understand how you talk to yourself

Self-talk is the biggest thing that affects your mindset. Imagine having a specific soundtrack constantly playing in the background of your life. If the music was sad and gloomy, how would you feel? If the music was upbeat and cheery, how would you feel? The way you talk to yourself is like that soundtrack. The more positive and optimistically you speak to yourself, the more positive and optimistic you will feel. So, the second step to developing a growth mindset is to talk to yourself as if you have a growth mindset.

For example, if you find yourself saying “I’ve made so many mistakes and my math scores are consistently down, I can’t do anything about it.” replace it with “Although I have made mistakes in the past, I can grow and improve my math scores.” The simple change in the way that you address yourself can completely change your self-esteem.

3. Choose how you interpret your mistakes

It can be difficult to face adversity. But, you can choose how you interpret your mistakes. If you choose to respond to yourself negatively, it will only make yourself feel worse. However, if you choose to channel your feelings into improving, you can turn the situation into something positive. It all has to do with the way you think!

4. Get Feedback

As a student, feedback can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It can either boost your self-esteem or lower it. However, feedback is crucial. It shows you what you are doing well, as well as areas for growth. To develop a growth mindset, regularly seek feedback, whether it’s from a parent, a teacher, or even a peer, it can help you understand how to improve.

“The hallmark of successful people is that they are always stretching themselves to learn new things.”

-Carol Dweck

Your mindset can completely alter your view of the world, and as a student, it can give you the means to achieve success. To develop a growth mindset, educate yourself, understand self-talk, choose to positively interpret mistakes, and get feedback. The most important part is to be patient and stay positive!

References:

• Carol Dweck: Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset

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