The empirical findings on growth mindset paint a compelling picture of how much developing a growth mindset can add to your personal, professional, and overall well-being. From increasing your resilience and motivation to protecting your brain health, the skills you gain by adopting a growth mindset guarantee psychological and behavioral changes that enrich your life.
In this post, you’ll learn twelve science-derived facts on growth mindset from Carol Dweck's book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
fosters resilience and perseverance
"Research shows that a growth mindset fosters resilience and perseverance, transforming challenges into opportunities for personal growth." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
Resilience is a developmental cognitive resource and skill that helps you successfully and effectively adapt to difficult or challenging life experiences. With a growth mindset, you can improve and grow your resilience over time. You can develop mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility that helps you intelligently adjust to internal and external demands.
Enables you to interpret failure as a stepping stone to success and personal improvement
"Embrace the value of a growth mindset, where every failure is a stepping stone towards success and self-improvement." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
Part of effective self-regulation is learning to create meaning and interpretation that keeps you empowered. A growth mindset equips you with the cognitive skill of framing "failure" as a stepping stone to personal growth.
Enhances your intelligence and learning potential
"Studies have proven that a growth mindset enhances learning and intelligence, suggesting that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
One of the most fascinating findings from research studies over the last few decades is the link between learning and longevity. You could theorize that a growth mindset is indirectly linked to increased healthspan and lifespan.
helps you see past temporary obstacles
"With a growth mindset, limitations are merely temporary roadblocks, not permanent barriers, to achieving your full potential." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
A mindset that allows you to see any external or perceived internal limitation as temporary, as something that will get resolved, can keep you feeling empowered and motivated to achieve your goals. A mindset that helps you see that there is nothing in the way will help you meet challenges with an internalized sense of capacity, confidence, and efficacy.
Supports lifelong success
"The benefit of cultivating a growth mindset is the ability to turn setbacks into comebacks, continuously evolving through life's trials." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
A mindset of learning, an attitude that says, “I’m willing to learn from this,” will help you convert setbacks into a point of resilience. The more you demonstrate to yourself how capable and effective you are at learning and resolving challenges, the more your “can do” attitude and spirit strengthen.
Protects your brain health by promoting lifelong learning
"A growth mindset unlocks the door to lifelong learning, encouraging curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge beyond the classroom." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
The habit of being a lifelong learner, continually pursuing knowledge about yourself, others, and the world, can keep your cognitive functions like memory recall, problem-solving, and concentration sharp.
helps you experience sustained motivation
"Research consistently indicates that those with a growth mindset are more motivated and achieve higher levels of success in their personal and professional lives." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
Sustained motivation to achieve higher success indicates that an individual has developed valuable self-regulation skills. These can include the cognitive and behavioral skills of perseverance, resilience, adaptability, flexibility, and creativity, as well as effective self-regulation skills that reduce the experience of stress.
supports the development of your emotion regulation skills
"By valuing the journey over the destination, a growth mindset instills patience and persistence, leading to more meaningful and sustainable achievements." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
Valuing the journey toward your success helps you appreciate the approaches, learning, and small gains you obtain along the way. It helps you focus on the immediate present and your sense of progress and accomplishment rather than on an abstract vision of a future moment.
Helps you benefit from feedback constructively
"The benefit of a growth mindset lies in its power to transform criticism into constructive feedback, fueling improvement and innovation." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
The ability to sift through feedback from others and use what’s useful is cognitive skill and strength. A growth mindset can help you evaluate information and take it for the value that it offers.
helps you develop healthy responses to change
"A growth mindset empowers individuals to embrace change and uncertainty, viewing them as natural parts of the growth process." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
When you frame change and apparent uncertainty as natural parts of the growth process, you form a more constructive and empowered meaning about these two constructs. A growth mindset helps you use the cognitive skill of reframing to create meaning and interpretation that keeps you feeling resourceful and empowered.
supports overall mental health
"Studies reveal that a growth mindset not only enhances academic performance but also boosts emotional well-being and resilience." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
The cognitive and behavioral skills you develop from adopting a growth mindset support your success potential in various other life areas. A growth mindset can help enhance your emotional intelligence, adaptability, cognitive flexibility, and motivation, enabling you to thrive in different life contexts.
Enriches how you experience your life
"The true value of a growth mindset is seen in its ability to foster a love for challenges and a passion for learning, ultimately leading to a richer, more fulfilling life." — Carol Dweck, "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"
If you learn to view challenges and learning as something to love, you change your emotional relationship to these two natural parts of life experiences. Developing a positive emotion-based response to challenges and learning new things helps you approach both these facets of life with empowered frames of reference.
Kidest OM is a manifestation author and teacher with indispensable books and online courses designed to help you attract and manifest what you want. Her books include "Anything You Want" and "Nothing in the Way: Clearing the Paths to Success & Fulfilment" which are available globally in eBook, print, and audiobook on her website and through online book retailers.