Mindset is everything and according to Stanford University Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck, there are two types of mindsets, a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. In a fixed mindset, people believe their abilities, talents, and intelligence are fixed at birth based on their innate abilities. Those with a fixed mindsets work on documenting and proving existing abilities versus cultivating them. A growth mindset is the opposite of this mentality. If you have a growth mindset, you believe that your abilities to learn and create can be developed through hard work and dedication. They believe that their innate abilities are just starting points.

Through Dr. Carol Dweck’s research, she shows us how people have improved their skill sets by not only themselves having this mindset, but by their peers, teachers, bosses, etc. who use this mindset while working with others. Yes, some people may be born with genetic advantages in some areas of intelligence or abilities, but with the growth mindset, you are able to improve, catch up, and even surpass other’s natural talents. Having a growth mindset greatly impacts how one learns, overcomes obstacles, and views failures. Having a growth mindset is a huge advantage to achieving any success in our lives.

Why should you have a growth mindset?

Your mindset profoundly impacts your life and affects your level of success. Having a growth mindset sets you up for improved learning and the ability to overcome setbacks and challenges. You can not achieve success without overcoming some hurdles. Having a growth mindset will improve many areas of your life including:

• Becoming a better leader, teacher, coach
• Improved self esteem
• Improved relationships
• Overcoming perfectionism
• Learning to take responsibility in your life
• Learning to see setbacks as lessons
• Learning to enjoy putting in effort vs. fearing it

Can you change your mindset?

Yes, you can change your mindset from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. A lot of our mindset is based on our own self talk. Be aware of the fixed mindset voice. This voice is your inner critic that searches for praise and is fear conscious. This critic looks to preserve the talents, skills, and intelligence you already have and often avoids situations where there is possibility of making yourself look “foolish”. Understand that you do have a choice in changing these thought patterns. How you interpret criticism, challenges, and setbacks is all based on your choice.

When you approach challenges as opportunities to learn, advance, and grow, you are thinking with a growth mindset. The growth mindset does not shy away from opportunities that may end in “failure”, but seeks opportunities that add value and are learning lessons. With time, practice taking action with the growth mindset and you will get closer achieving success. 

Growth Mindset Quotes

As a quote collector, I am always looking for messages that drive and motivate me. Here are 21 growth mindset quotes that will inspire you in developing your mindset. 

1. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”  – Winston Churchill

2. “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” – Chris Grosser

3. “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson

4. “Most people can see, but not everyone has vision.”  – Anonymous

5. “Ask for help; not because you are weak, but because you want to remain strong.” – Les Brown

6. “Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” – Oprah Winfrey 

7. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”  – Winston Chruchill 

8. “Be grateful even for hardships, setbacks, and bad people. Dealing with such obstacles is an essential part of training in the art of peace.” –  Morhei Ueshiba

9. “First you make your beliefs, then your beliefs make you.” – Marissa Peer

10. “Change your thinking, change your life.” – Brian Tracey

11. “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.” — Thomas J. Watson

12. “Jump and the net will appear.” – John Burroughs

13. “In order to live life wholeheartedly, you have to be willing to risk your heart.” – Debbie Millmen

14. “Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask yourself if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” –  Deepak Chopra

15. “Trust yourself. There is no one else on this earth that is better suited to determining your ideal and making it happen than you.” – S.D. Buffington

16. “He or she who has the greatest capacity for discomfort will rise the fastest.” – Dr. Brene Brown

17. “Progress over Perfection.” – Anonymous

18. “Failure is an opportunity to learn. Disassociate yourself from failing as your inability to learn.” – Anonymous

19. “The quantum field is where all possibilities exist.” – Anonymous

20. “Think in terms of possibility, not reality.” – Anonymous

21. “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

What are your favorite growth mindset quotes?

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