Growth Mindset

Have you ever heard of the term 'growth mindset'?

Having a growth mindset means believing that your brain is like a muscle that can be developed. It means believing that your abilities and intelligence can be improved through hard work, persistence, support from others, and learning from your mistakes - instead of being fixed traits that you either have or don't have.

Whereas someone with a fixed mindset might say “I didn’t do well on my science test because I’m just not good at science”, someone with a growth mindset would say “if I keep practicing, I will get better”.

Try the following to promote a growth mindset:

• Catch your negative self talk (e.g., "I can't do this, it's too hard"; "I'm so stupid") and try to replace it with positive self-talk (e.g., rather than "I can't do this", consider "what am I missing?").
  
• Instead of avoiding challenges, embrace them as an opportunity to learn and grow. Recognise that setbacks and failures are an essential part of learning.
  
• Rather than solely focusing on the outcome, focus on the effort and progress you make. Celebrate your small wins along the way.
  
• Believe in your ability to change: Believe that you have the power to change and improve your abilities through hard work and dedication.