As Christians we are taught that every life can be transformed. That change is not only possible but necessary to become more mature and Christlike. In fact, the word disciple means “one who learns.” Adopting a growth mindset helps us become effective disciples, able to learn and grow in all areas of life.
Adopting a growth mindset also helps you utilize your agency—your ability to make choices, exert influence over your own life, and reach your potential.
What is a growth mindset?
Some people believe each of us is given a fixed amount of intelligence and raw talent at birth. We’re stuck with what we’ve got and all we can do is make the best of it. This outlook is called a Fixed Mindset.
Other people believe the abilities and aptitudes we have at birth are merely the starting point for development. They believe that every person’s full potential is unknown. With effort, a person can learn new skills or increase their abilities. No matter where they are now, there is room for growth. These people have a Growth Mindset.
It may not sound like a big difference, but it is. Because if you believe change isn’t possible then you have no incentive to attempt personal growth. Also, being asked to learn a new skill that is outside your current skill set is threatening because you fear you won’t have the required talent. And if you don’t then you’re doomed to failure.
“As you begin to understand the fixed and growth mindsets, you will see exactly how one thing leads to another—how a belief that your qualities are carved in stone leads to a host of thoughts and actions, and how a belief that your qualities can be cultivated leads to a host of different thought and actions, taking you down an entirely different road. ~ Carol Dweck in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Can you see how a growth mindset fosters the kind of attitude that helps people learn new skills at any age while a fixed mindset tends to keep people from trying?
How does a growth mindset help me?
God is in the transformation business, and the first step toward transformation is believing it’s possible. If we want a thriving life where we continue to learn new things and master new skills, we must adopt a growth mindset.
Here are some examples of how a growth mindset enables us to flourish while a fixed mindset keeps us small and stuck and unmotivated.
- We are more open to criticism and feedback, because we believe we have room to improve, and feedback helps us grow. In contrast, a fixed mindset takes feedback as a threat and quickly gets defensive.
- We are not devasted by mistakes and failure, because we know they are a natural part of learning. Sure, failure is disappointing, but we know we can learn from our failures and do better next time. In contrast, fixed mindset thinking takes failure personally. Failure is devastating proof we don’t have enough talent, and therefore anything that involves a risk of failure should be avoided at all costs.
- We are more resilient and willing to face challenges because we believe that with effort (and sometimes help from an expert) we can learn how to succeed—and we’ll grow in the process. In contrast, fixed mindset thinking sees challenges as threats. A challenge might let others see we don’t have as much talent as we pretend.
- We are inspired by others’ success and are willing to encourage and support them. In contrast, fixed mindset thinking is jealous of other people’s success because it might mean they are “better” than us and therefore we lose.
The bad news: we all have times where fixed mindset thinking takes over.
The good news: we can learn to identify fixed mindset thoughts and reframe them in more positive, growth-minded language.
The power of “yet”
Here’s a simple yet powerful trick to get yourself into a growth frame of mind. Whenever you find yourself saying or thinking defeatist thoughts such as:
- I can’t do that.
- I’m no good at that.
- I’m not smart enough to figure that out.
- I’ll never be any good at this.
Stop and reframe the statement into a growth mindset version by adding a “yet.”
- I can’t do that yet.
- I’m no good at that yet.
- I’m not yet smart enough to figure that out.
- I am not any good at this yet.
The word yet opens up a door of possibility instead of a dead end. It reminds us that what we are capable of right now is not the whole story. There is room to get better—tomorrow, next week, next year.
“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow
I hope this post has inspired you to practice growth mindset thinking the next time you face a problem to be solved or obstacle to overcome.
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