Why a growth mindset can help you thrive (and 10 tips to build it)

Personal GrowthMental Health

Jul 9

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Stuck in a loop of self-doubt or fear of failure? Discover how a growth mindset can change your approach to challenges, with 10 practical tools for daily life.

Whether your day-to-day feels easy-breezy or like a slog, it’s natural to want to live an even better life. Maybe it’s waking up with more energy, or building deeper, more meaningful relationships. Maybe it’s (finally) setting boundaries that stick, feeling more engaged at work, more resilient when things go sideways, or just finding small moments of joy.

Here’s the good news. Living a better, more fulfilling life doesn’t need to involve a major overhaul or the latest productivity hack. It can actually start with a simple shift in your mindset — a shift towards curiosity and growth.

A growth mindset is about being flexible and open. It embraces the idea that life isn’t set in stone, and we are all capable of learning, adapting, and evolving (even when things get messy).

This quiet shift can influence how you show up in your career, your relationships, and even your day-to-day life. Let’s unpack why a growth mindset is so important, how you can step out of your comfort zone more confidently, and step into a life of growth and exploration instead.

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can improve with effort, learning, and persistence. Instead of thinking, “I’m just not good at this,” a growth mindset might say, “I’m not good at this yet.”

It’s a way of approaching challenges with curiosity rather than fear, where mistakes are viewed as part of the process, rather than failures. This kind of mindset helps you stay motivated, bounce back from setbacks, and keep trying even when something feels tough.

Adopting a growth mindset doesn’t mean things stop being hard. But the way you move through the world will change. At work, it helps you take feedback without spiraling. In relationships, it gives you more space for empathy and repair. And in your day-to-day life, it gives you a little more wiggle room to make mistakes, figure things out, and grow on purpose.

5 benefits of developing a growth mindset

A growth mindset can make a big difference in how you approach learning, challenges, and even relationships. It’s not necessarily something we’re born with, but it’s definitely something we can nurture over time through everyday moments and encouragement. And while it might sound simple, the benefits can be surprisingly powerful.

1. You bounce back faster from failure

Failure feels less like a dead end and more like useful data. Instead of spiraling into “I’m not cut out for this,” your inner voice shifts to “I haven’t figured it out yet.” That mindset helps you recover quicker, stay grounded, and try again with less fear. Mistakes stop defining you and start teaching you instead.

2. You stop avoiding challenges

Instead of seeing challenges as threats, you start to see them as opportunities to stretch. You’re less likely to avoid new things just because they’re hard or unfamiliar. Instead, you begin to see effort as part of the process. That shift opens up more possibilities, more confidence, and more courage.

3. You improve your relationships

Believing that people (yourself included) can grow makes your relationships more flexible, empathetic, and real. You become more open to feedback, more forgiving during conflict, and less stuck in old dynamics that no longer serve you. It creates space for healthier communication, less blame, and a shared understanding that we’re all still learning.

4. You stop taking feedback so personally

Feedback stops feeling like a personal attack. With a growth mindset, you’re more likely to hear feedback as helpful, even when it stings. You recognize that it’s not about your worth but your potential. That shift builds emotional resilience and makes growth feel possible.

5. You reduce burnout by redefining what success means to you

When you associate success with perfection, burnout is inevitable. But when you define success as growth, effort, and self-awareness, the pressure starts to ease. A growth mindset helps you value the process over the outcome, which is exactly what makes it sustainable. You stop chasing flawlessness and start living fully and authentically.

How to develop a growth mindset: 10 tips to thrive

To develop a growth mindset, focus on small shifts, like how you talk to yourself, how you respond to discomfort, and how you move forward when things feel hard. It helps you catch your emotions before they take over, allowing the process to flow naturally.

1. Catch your fixed-mindset moments

A fixed mindset is the belief that your abilities, intelligence, and talents are set in stone. People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges, fear failure, and view effort as a sign that they’re not naturally good enough. This perspective can hold you back from growing, adapting, or reaching your full potential.

Which is why awareness is the first step. Start noticing when your inner critic pops up with thoughts like:

“I’m just not a creative person.”
“This will never work.”
“I’m too old for this.”
“If I were smarter, I’d already know how to do this.”

These aren’t facts — they’re learned beliefs. When you spot them, try labeling them and noticing that you’re exhibiting a fixed mindset. You don’t even have to argue with it or fix it immediately. Just noticing starts to loosen its grip.

💙 Rewrite what holds you back with the Challenging our Core Beliefs session with Tamara Levitt.

2. Add the word “yet” to your self-talk

Your language shapes reality. That small but mighty word adds possibility to even the most deflating statements:

“I don’t know how to handle this… yet.”
“I’m not confident speaking up in meetings… yet.”
“I haven’t figured out parenting a teenager… yet.”

The word “yet” reminds your brain that learning is a process. It shifts your focus from immediate success to ongoing improvement, helping you stay motivated even when progress feels slow. Instead of thinking “I can’t do this,” a growth mindset reframes it as “I can’t do this yet,” which leaves the door open for effort, patience, and change.

Over time, this tiny word trains your brain to see potential where it used to see limits.

3. Normalize discomfort as part of growth

We often associate discomfort with failure, but it's actually a sign that you’re growing. Growth isn’t supposed to feel easy, so when you normalize discomfort in your everyday life, you stop seeing it as a problem and start recognizing it as progress.

Whether you're learning a new skill or having a hard conversation, leaning into discomfort helps rewire your brain to tolerate challenge rather than avoid it. The more you do it, the more resilient you become.

4. Celebrate effort as opposed to just outcomes

We’re conditioned to reward results, like the high test score, the finished project, or the glowing performance review. But growth happens in the messy middle, like during the drafting, revising, asking for help, and trying again.

So, celebrate the process. Applaud yourself (and others) for the things they did before they became successful at it. Shifting your attention to effort builds motivation and long-term confidence. It helps you stay engaged even when things don’t go perfectly, because you’re valuing progress over perfection. (If letting go of perfection is hard for you, these six tips can help.)

5. Redefine failure as data

We’re not going to sugarcoat it: Failure can be difficult. But instead of labeling it as a personal flaw or final verdict, try to see it as information for next time. What worked? What didn’t? What can you try next time? This shift helps you stay curious and adaptive, turning setbacks into stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks.

Try journaling after a perceived failure to focus on the lessons it brought you instead:

What did I learn?
What surprised me?
What’s one thing I’d try differently next time?

6. Surround yourself with growth-minded people

The way a person views life is contagious. When you’re around people who are curious, reflective, and resilient, it’s easier to embody those traits yourself. Growth-minded people tend to normalize effort, celebrate progress, and share insights from their own missteps. They nudge you to evolve without fear.

Seek out relationships in which the following traits occur:

Mistakes are met with curiosity, not criticism
Feedback is offered with care
Growth is celebrated as much as achievement is

That might mean joining a new team, opening up to a friend, or following creators who talk about failure and learning with honesty.

💙 Learn how to cultivate more positive relationships with the 5 Steps to Stronger Relationships series with Jay Shetty.

7. Take low-stakes risks regularly

You don’t need to overhaul your life to stretch your mindset. Sometimes, all you need is a small act of courage. Low-stakes risks help you move beyond your comfort zone without overwhelming your nervous system.

Take risks that won’t affect you if they don’t work out:

Try a new recipe, even if it’s a disaster
Speak up in a meeting, even if your voice shakes
Sign up for a workshop or class just to explore, even if you’re terrible at it

Over time, these steps build confidence and reduce the fear of failure. They create momentum, showing your brain that risk doesn’t always equal danger.

8. Swap judgment for curiosity

Judgment shuts down possibility, while curiosity opens it up. If you ask questions, you open the door to understanding your patterns, habits, and opportunities without self-criticism getting in the way. When something doesn’t go the way you hoped, ask yourself:

What’s going on here?
What might I not be seeing yet?
What else could be true?

These kinds of questions invite exploration instead of shame. They help you stay open, even when your instinct is to shut down.

9. Keep a growth log

A growth log is a simple way to record what you tried, what you learned, and how you handled challenges. It helps shift your focus from perfection to progress, and gives you evidence that you're getting better, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

At the end of each week, jot down a few ways you practiced growth, like the following:

A challenge you approached differently
A skill you improved, even slightly
A moment you offered yourself compassion instead of self-criticism

This builds awareness, reinforces your progress, and gives you a personalized playbook to reflect on when you’re feeling stuck. Looking back on your entries can be incredibly motivating during moments of doubt.

10. Be kinder to yourself

You can’t shame yourself into growth. Self-compassion is one of the most powerful tools for building a growth mindset because when you treat yourself with the same encouragement you'd offer a friend, you're more likely to take risks, learn from mistakes, and keep going after setbacks. (Here are five tips to help you practice self-compassion.)

When you mess up, fall short, or feel overwhelmed, try talking to yourself kindly:

“Of course this feels hard. You’re doing something new.”
“You’re allowed to struggle. It doesn’t mean you’re failing.”
“You’re learning. You’re not supposed to have this all figured out.”

Harsh self-talk fuels shame and fear, but kindness helps you stay open, curious, and resilient. Progress thrives in a supportive inner environment.

💙 Explore how to be kinder to yourself with the Radical Self-Compassion masterclass with Tara Brach.

Growth mindset FAQs

What are some real-life examples of a growth mindset?

A growth mindset shows up in all kinds of everyday moments, so don’t think it’s just about huge life transformations. Some simple examples of a growth mindset could be a colleague asking for feedback after a tough presentation, a parent trying a new way to connect with their child even after years of conflict, or someone picking up a new hobby in their 40s just because they want to grow.

These moments might seem small, but they reflect a powerful belief: You’re not stuck where you started.

How can I tell if I have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?

The difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset usually shows up in how you react to challenges, criticism, or failure. If you tend to shut down, avoid risks, or feel like you view setbacks as a personal attack, that’s the fixed mindset at work.

If, on the other hand, you see effort as a path to growth and are open to learning from your mistakes (even if they sting a little), that’s growth mindset territory.

It’s also important to realize that most of us aren’t one or the other. We tend to shift our approach based on the situation. You might have a growth mindset at work but a fixed one around relationships, or vice versa. Notice where you’re getting stuck and create room for change.

Can you teach a growth mindset to kids?

Yes, and you don’t need a formal curriculum to do it. Kids learn a growth mindset best through modeling. When they see you try, struggle, adapt, and try again, they absorb that resilience.

You can also reinforce it by praising effort and persistence, not just achievement. Instead of saying, “You’re so smart,” try, “I love how you stuck with that, even when it got tricky.” Let them see that mistakes aren’t shameful, but part of learning.

And most importantly, give yourself grace, too. Teaching a growth mindset doesn’t mean always having the perfect reaction. It just means showing your own learning in real time.

Is it possible to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset?

Mindsets aren’t permanent. They’re patterns of thought. They can change with attention and practice, just like any pattern. A fixed mindset will always show up from time to time, but the key is to notice it, question it, and slowly choose a different story.

That might look like catching yourself mid-spiral, or reminding yourself that just because something is hard, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. The more you interrupt the script, the more space you create for something new to grow.

How do I put growth mindset practices into action?

Start with one part of your life where you’ve been feeling stuck. Maybe it’s work, a relationship, a personal goal, or even how you handle stress. Then, look for a low-risk opportunity to try something different.

That might mean asking for input instead of pretending you’ve got it handled. It might mean trying again after a failed attempt or letting yourself be a beginner.

Most importantly, treat your effort with the same respect you’d give someone else’s. Every time you choose curiosity over criticism, self-compassion over shame, or persistence over perfection, you’re actioning a growth mindset and training your brain to look at something in a new way.

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growth mindset

Calm Editorial Team