How to Develop a Growth Mindset in 5 Easy Steps

A popular Buddha quote says “Our life is the creation of our mind”.

David Cuschieri also said

The mind is a powerful force. It can enslave us or empower us. It can plunge us into the depths of misery or take us to the heights of ecstasy. Learn to use the power wisely.

Your mind is a powerful and fascinating aspect of your nature. If you understand how it works, you can use it to your advantage and improve your well-being.

What is a mindset, you may ask?

Well, it is the way you think about yourself and your abilities. It is the lens through which you see the world and the challenges that you face.

Some people have a mindset that limits them. They think they are born with a limited amount of talent, intelligence, or potential and that they cannot change it.

They create mental boxes for themselves and lock themselves within those mental frameworks.

They don’t want to try new things, take risks, or face hard times because they fear that they might fail or get criticized. They easily give up, blame others, or even blame fate for their setbacks.

They assume that successful people are only just lucky and they are not.

This is a fixed mindset.

Some other people have a mindset that empowers them. They believe that they can develop their skills, knowledge, and potential if they put in effort and practice.

They welcome challenges, learn from their mistakes, and continuously look for opportunities to improve themselves. They don’t give up in the midst of obstacles.

They celebrate their little achievements as they press on. They think that success is the result of hard work, perseverance, and continuous learning.

This is the growth mindset.

Which mindset do you think is more helpful for achieving your goals and fulfilling your potential? Which mindset do you think you have?

Are you curious to find out? Then you are in the right place.

What is a Growth Mindset?

Psychologist Carol Dweck, who is a professor at Stanford University developed the growth mindset concept after studying the behavior of thousands of children and how they responded to challenges and feedback.

In the 1970s, Dweck observed that some students rebounded after they failed while others seemed devastated by failure.

She studied their different reactions to adversity. Her team gave puzzles to young students.

Some avoided challenges that might make them look dumb (the ones with a fixed mindset), while some others (the growth mindset students) embraced learning that challenged them.

Dweck then coined the terms “fixed” and “growth” mindset to describe these observed patterns in the 1980s.

Her research showed the power of a growth mindset on motivation and achievement.

In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, in 2006, she popularized the theory and how it affects education, work, and personal growth.

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and talents can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.

The growth mindset can have a very positive impact on both professionals and learners in many ways.

In this blog post, I will show you how to develop a growth mindset in 5 easy steps.

1. Identify and challenge your fixed mindset triggers and beliefs.

It’s a good thing if you realize that there are times when you feel stuck, defensive, or discouraged by your abilities or performance. 

As people say, a problem known is half solved, right?

Now that you are aware of these negative thoughts, it’s time to question the validity and usefulness of those thoughts and replace them with more positive and realistic ones.

To drive these steps home, I will use a practical illustration: a case study of Chinonso.

Chinonso is a bright young man working with a reputable firm. His boss asked him to give a presentation on their monthly report.

All these years he had been hiding in the shadow of his colleague and partner. He would rather prepare the slides and give his partner to present it.

Though knowledgeable, he feels anxious and thinks “I’m not qualified to teach others.”

This is the fixed mindset trigger that makes him want to decline the task.

Today, Chinonso’s partner is not available and the task rests on his shoulders. He is scared and realizes that these thoughts limit him, so he challenges them.

He asks himself:

“Is it true I’m not qualified? Or do I just need more practice to improve my public speaking skills?”

“Are my nerves really a sign that I can’t do this? Or are they natural, since public speaking is still new to me?”

By questioning his fixed mindset beliefs, Chinonso gains perspective. He sees that his doubts are exaggerated, and not completely valid.

With practice, he can become an excellent speaker.

Next, Chinonso actively reframes his thoughts from a fixed to a growth mindset. He tells himself:

“Taking this challenge is a great opportunity to work on myself and overcome my fears.”

“I may be nervous at first, but I’ll get better with practice.”

Chinonso prepares diligently for his talk. He reads books that show him how to deliver his presentation like a boss.

He listens and repeats positive affirmations like “I walk into that stage like I own it”, “I’ve got this”, and “I can do it!”.

Though still anxious, his new mindset empowers him. The presentation exceeds expectations, boosting his confidence.

Like Chinonso, identify your fixed mindset triggers, then challenge and reframe them.

2. Embrace failure and feedback as opportunities for learning.

Your first few attempts at a new skill or venture might not go all rosy. You might get scolded sometimes.

You might be teased at how funny your drawing looks at first. Your first few years in business might be a real struggle.

You might hear the sound of your own voice like that of a croaking toad when you start learning how to sing. It doesn’t make you a failure at what you do.

Don’t expect everything to play out perfectly from the beginning. This is real life, not Nollywood. Mistakes are allowed.

Corrections are meant to put you on the right track. Welcome them. 

Imagine somebody laughed at a mistake that Chinonso made during his presentation.

And Chinonso goes back home dejected, saying to himself “I’m a joke.”

Or he stumbled through some parts of this talk and realized that public speaking at this scale requires improvement.

The fixed mindset would say: “I failed. I said it! Public speaking is not for me. This just proved it.”

This makes Chinonso want to avoid speaking again and run back to his shell.

But with a growth mindset, Chinonso reflects: “I may have fallen short this time, but it shows me where I need to improve.”

He reviews recordings of his talk and feedback from the audience.

Chinonso uses this to strengthen his skills – adjusting his pace, adding visual aids, and practicing with larger crowds.

At the next conference, he delivers an excellent presentation that inspires the audience!

When you embrace failure as feedback and continue to challenge yourself, you can achieve your goals.

Setbacks provide valuable lessons to fuel growth, not reasons to give up. See them as valuable sources of information and motivation to improve your skills and strategies.

3. Celebrate your progress and effort, not just your outcomes.

Recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into achieving anything worthwhile.

According to Stewart B. Johnson,

Our business in life is not to get ahead of others. But to get ahead of ourselves. To break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.

Stewart B. Johnson

Chinonso will sabotage his own efforts if he begins to compare his results with those of his colleagues who have been doing presentations several years before him.

The fixed mindset would focus only on the imperfections or compare him to more experienced speakers. But with a growth mindset, Chinonso reflects:

“This is my first presentation. It may not be perfect, but I’ve already grown so much as a public speaker. I will improve with each presentation I deliver.”

He feels proud of confronting a new challenge and putting in the effort to keep advancing his skills.

After another presentation, Chinonso reviews what he did better this time than his previous presentation and he tells himself “Chinonso, you are doing great! Welldone!”

He accepts compliments when people acknowledge his performance. He doesn’t assume that they are just flattery.  He uses feedback to refine his approach for the next delivery.

Over time, Chinonso becomes a gifted speaker, fulfilling his potential. But it is the consistent effort and growth along the way that he finds most rewarding.

Focus on the process and the growth, rather than the final result or the comparison with others.

4. Adopt a curious and experimental attitude.

Seek out new challenges and experiences that stretch your abilities and expand your horizons.

Try different approaches and methods to solve problems and learn from your mistakes. Enjoy the journey of discovery and exploration.

As Chinonso gets better at public speaking, people begin to admire his works and come to him for guidance in public speaking.

Chinonso with his growth mindset thinks: “What opportunity can I make from this?” “What new challenge could further improve my speaking skills?”

Rather than remain in his comfort zone, his growth mindset drives him to expand his horizons.

Chinonso sees this as an avenue to teach others what he has learnt over the years. Who knows? He could make some money along the way.

He decides to sign up for advanced courses on public speaking, starts a new vlog where he shares his public speaking experience.

Soon, he establishes a public speaking academy to teach people who are willing to pay and learn how to speak with authority like him.

It’s a win-win in the end, thanks to the growth mindset that he has developed.

Take on a spirit of curiosity, challenge yourself constantly, and delight in the journey of growth. You can achieve anything with an experimental mindset!

5. Surround yourself with people who are passionate about growth.

Find and connect with others who share your passion for learning and improvement.

Learn from their feedback, advice, and examples. Observe their practices and adopt them.

Practice gratitude, optimism, affirmations, visualization, SMART goal setting, action plans, and regular reflection to reinforce your growth mindset.

Share your growth journey and inspire others to join you.

Why Is It Important to Develop a Growth Mindset?

• Motivation to develop skills. A growth mindset sees abilities where others see impossibilities.

• Professionals and learners with this mindset are inspired to improve through training and practice.

• Greater resilience after setbacks. For people with a growth mindset, failures and criticism are seen as opportunities for growth, not signs to give up. 

• Increased leadership skills. If you have a growth mindset, you will be willing to learn from feedback and admit mistakes. This models good leadership traits.

• Improved academic achievement. Students with a growth mindset are more motivated to put effort into their studies and employ better strategies to improve their assimilation rate.

• Greater attitude towards difficult tasks. People with a growth mindset do not see a lack of immediate skill as an excuse to conclude that they can’t handle a task, they dig deeper and look for alternatives.

• More engaged learning. Learners who are open to growth embrace new lessons and exert effort to fuel deeper enjoyment and interest in their studies.

• Positive attitude to failure. Setbacks are opportunities to improve rather than crushing blows to self-esteem.

Generally, a growth mindset inspires people to envision what they can become through consistent effort and this opens doors of greatness in an individual. It’s not about where you are.

With the growth mindset, it’s not about where you are. It’s about where you want to be and how intentional you are about putting effort to get there.

Can a Growth Mindset Be Developed?

Alright, fine!

What if I just realized that I have more of a fixed mindset than a growth mindset? What can I do? Is there any hope for me? Can I develop a mindset of growth?

The answer is a big, fat ‘YES’!

Of course, you can improve your mindset. In fact, if you are asking this question, you are already taking the first step forward – self-awareness.

I’ll explain in a bit. Research shows that a growth mindset can be developed, even if you currently have more of a fixed mindset.

The brain is capable of changing and forming new neural pathways throughout our lives. Gradually, you can adopt a growth-oriented way of thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Growth Mindset

How can I measure my growth mindset?

You can measure your growth mindset using a self-assessment tool such as the Mindset Assessment Profile developed by Carol Dweck, the pioneer of growth mindset research.

This tool consists of 16 statements that reflect either a fixed or a growth mindset, and asks you to rate how much you agree or disagree with each one.

Based on your responses, you can get a score that indicates your current mindset, and some tips on how to shift it towards a more growth-oriented one.

You can also use subjective indicators, such as satisfaction, happiness, well-being, or self-esteem, to assess your personal and emotional domains.

What are some examples of growth mindset statements? 

Growth mindset statements are positive and empowering affirmations that build your confidence and mindset.

They can help you counter your fixed mindset thoughts and reframe your perspective. Some examples are:

• I am open to learning new things.
• I welcome feedback as a way to improve myself and my work.
• I celebrate my little growth and the success of others.
• I accept challenges as opportunities to grow.

Conclusion On Developing A Growth Mindset

Developing a growth mindset is a lifelong practice that helps to eliminate self-sabotage and achieve meaningful accomplishments.

The human brain is malleable. It can form new neural pathways through repeated practice and experience.

With concerted effort, you can reshape your mindset and open yourself up to a world of possibilities.

Be patient with yourself – changing thought patterns takes time. But the rewards are immeasurable.

Remember, your abilities are not fixed. You have a great capacity to continuously expand your skills through strategic effort.

Approach life with a growth mindset, and no goal will be out of reach.

The journey begins within your mind. Have faith in yourself, adopt a spirit of perpetual learning, and pursue your goals with the power of a growth mindset.

I wish you the very best!

Let me know in the comments how you apply these steps in your own life.