Growth Mindset: How to Develop Growth Mindset | Understood

Growth mindset describes a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. People who have a growth mindset believe that even if they struggle with certain skills, ... SkiptocontentThispageisinEnglishEN|ESExploreourresourcesContentlibraryHowtospotsignsinkidsPodcastsWorkplaceresourcesWunderappforparentsAboutusOurmissionOurleadershipHowwestartedRedefiningaccessibilityEditorialstandardsMediacenterBlogPartnershipsDonateJoinourteamPrivacypolicyTermsofuseFundraisingdisclosureSitemapBecausedifferencesareourgreateststrengthDonateOpensnewwindowWhysupportUnderstood?CarouselQuicktip1Reflectonthepositives.Reflectonthepositives.It’seasytogetcaughtupinnegativethinkingwhenyou’reusedtosetbacks.Shiftthefocusfrom“what’sgoingwrong”to“what’sgoingwell.” Quicktip2Askforsupport.Askforsupport.Needinghelpandaskingforitisn’tashowofweakness.Self-advocacyisaboutcreatingsolutionsinsteadofjuststrugglingwithchallenges.Quicktip3Embracetheprocess.Embracetheprocess.Emphasizethestepsthatleadtoaresult,nottheresultitself.Thepointofgrowthmindsetistolearnandtoimprove,nottoachieve.Growthmindsetdescribesawayofviewingchallengesandsetbacks.Peoplewhohaveagrowthmindsetbelievethateveniftheystrugglewithcertainskills,theirabilitiesaren’tsetinstone.Theythinkthatwithwork,theirskillscanimproveovertime. Peoplewiththeoppositebelief —thatabilitiesarewhattheyareandwon’tchange —haveafixedmindset.Theythinktheirskillswon’timprovenomatterhowhardtheytry.Themindsetsaren’tsetinstone.Peoplemayhaveagrowthmindsetatcertaintimesandafixedmindsetatothers.Theymayhavedifferentapproachestodifferentchallenges.Andtheirmindsetmaychangeovertime.Havingagrowthmindsetcanhaverealbenefits.Ithelpspeoplereframetheirapproachtochallengesandstaymotivatedtoworktoimproveskills.Insteadofthinking“Ican’tdothis,”theythink“Ican’tdoityet.”Thetheoryofgrowthmindsetisn’tnew.ItcameoutofresearchbypsychologistCarolDweckandhercolleagues.Theirresearchfocusedonkids.Buttheconceptappliestoadults,too.Growthmindsetisn’tsomethingthatpeoplearealwaysbornwith.Kidsandadultscandevelopthebeliefthatthingsthatarehardtodonowmaynotalwaysbehard.DivedeeperMythsaboutgrowthmindsetThere’sbeenalotofresearchintogrowthmindset.Buttherearestillmisconceptionsaboutwhatitisandisn’t.Herearesomecommonmyths —andtruths.Myth1:Youeitherhaveitoryoudon’t.Nottrue.Weallhaveamixoffixedandgrowthmindsetsthatchangebasedonourexperiencesandthefeedbackweget.Myth2:Growthmindsetisaboutbeingpositive.It’smorethanthat.Growthmindsetmeanstakingfeedback,learningfromexperience,andcomingupwithstrategiesforimproving.Myth3:Praisebuildsagrowthmindset.Itdependswhatyou’repraising.Theimportantthingishowapersonapproachedachallenge,nothowhardtheyworked,orhowsuccessfultheywere. Learnaboutstrengthsthatcomefromtakingonchallenges. GrowthmindsetandlearningandthinkingdifferencesWeallhavetimeswhenwefeellikewe’llnevergetbetteratsomethingorthatwe’redestinedtofailatparticulartasks.Butpeoplewholearnandthinkdifferentlyoftenfacemoresetbacksthanotherpeople.Theyusuallyknowwhenthey’renotdoingaswellasothersandmaydoubttheirabilitytoimprove.Theymayfeeljudgedorcriticized.Andthatcanmakethemfeelinsecureordefensive,whichcangetinthewayofgrowth.Havingagrowthmindsethasabigimpactonhowpeopleapproachchallengesandhowtheyfeelaboutthemselves.Learnabouttheimportanceofpositiveself-esteem. HowtodevelopagrowthmindsetAbigpartofhavingagrowthmindsetisnotlettingsetbackskeepyoufromworkingtoimprove.It’simportanttorememberthatsetbackscanactuallyprovideawayforward.Akeytomakingprogressandmovingforwardisself-advocacy.Speakingupwhensomethingisn’tworkingandaskingforsupportcanleadtosolutions.Andthatcanleadtoimprovement.Self-advocacydevelopsovertime.Kidscanstartlearningandpracticingtheskillsatayoungage.Theearlierthathappens,thebetter.Butpeoplecanbuildself-advocacyskillsatanyage.Downloadsomegrowthmindsetactivitiesthatcanhelpkidsandteensstartthinking“What’snext?”and“Ican.”Andlearnmoreaboutself-advocacyandhowtodevelopit. RelatedtopicsConfidenceandself-esteemTelluswhatinterestsyouSeeyourrecommendationsShareEmailAbouttheauthorAbouttheauthorAmandaMorinisthedirectorofthoughtleadershipatUnderstoodandauthorof“TheEverythingParent’sGuidetoSpecialEducation.”Sheworkedasaclassroomteacherandearlyinterventionspecialistformorethanadecade. ReviewedbyReviewedbyEllenGalinsky,MSispresidentofFamiliesandWorkInstitute(FWI).Sheisachilddevelopmentexpertandwork-familyresearcher.Discoverwhat’spossiblewhenyou’reunderstood.We’llemailyouourmosthelpfulstoriesandresources.EmailSignupDidyouknowwehaveacommunityappforparents?LearnmoreaboutWunderCopyright©2014-2022UnderstoodForAllInc.