Mindset is the way we look at the world around us and the way we see ourselves. It influences our thinking and actions: it’s like that internal voice that keeps telling us “You can make it” or keeps reminding us “You can’t do that“. According to psychologist Carol Dweck, there are two kinds of mindset: fixed and growth mindset – which, in the long run, are a predictor of how we approach and how we live our lives.
Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset
- Fixed mindset – People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities are innate and they can’t do anything to change them. They tend to fall into a negative circle: they focus on the lack of ability or talent and they don’t even try to make any change, confirming their inability to improve or learn.
- Growth mindset – People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that they don’t have an ability… “yet”. They believe that they can change and start to practice it and learn it, until when they acquire what they previously lacked, and why not… master it!
“I heard about a high school in Chicago where students had to pass a certain number of courses to graduate, and if they didn’t pass a course, they got the grade ‘Not Yet’. And I thought that was fantastic, because if you get a failing grade, you think, I’m nothing, I’m nowhere. But if you get the grade ‘Not Yet’ you understand that you’re on a learning curve. It gives you a path into the future.”
TED Talk “The power of believing that you can improve“
Why cultivating a growth mindset matters
Adopting a growth mindset opens doors:
- It helps dismantle limiting beliefs
- It builds resilience and perseverance during tough times
- It shifts focus from approval to learning, discovery, and growth
While a fixed mindset asks: “Am I good enough?”
A growth mindset asks: “What can I learn from this?”
While growth mindsets are learning and discovering new things, fixed mindsets are busy proving themselves and are looking for approval at school, at work or in their relationship.
How to shift towards a growth mindset
The encouraging news is that you can train your mindset. The challenging part is that it requires effort, practice, and stepping out of your comfort zone. Here are a few starting points:
- Reframe your language: Replace “failure” with “learning,” “weakness” with “area for growth,” and add “not yet” when you feel stuck.
- Celebrate progress, not just results: Notice and acknowledge small improvements. Growth often hides in the little steps forward.
- Practice through discomfort: Mistakes aren’t proof of inability, they are the pathway to mastery.
How to foster a growth mindset at work?
Create a positive culture of learning and an environment where it is safe to make mistakes. Don’t praise intelligence or talent, praise the work ethic, effort, perseverance, and learning. Focus on the process rather than just the outcome and celebrate the aha moments, not only success and results. Reward “Top Performers”, but also the “Top Learners”.
A culture of learning is contagious: it builds stronger collaboration, resilience and adaptability.
ASK YOURSELF
– What is the one thing I will try this week that will get me out of my comfort zone?
– What do I want to start learning, practicing a bit at a time but regularly?
– How can I implement at work, with my colleagues, a culture of learning?
Photo by Silvia Foglia
