Cultivating a growth mindset: a path to personal transformation and resilience

In the journey of personal development and mental wellbeing, the concept of a growth mindset has emerged as a powerful tool. Have you ever faced a challenge and felt like giving up because you thought you were not ‘good enough’? The idea of a growth mindset, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, offers a different perspective—one that suggests our abilities, intelligence and even personality traits are not fixed but can evolve with effort, learning and perseverance (Dweck, 1999). This perspective is transformative, especially when navigating challenges or embarking on the path of therapy.

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset contrasts with a fixed mindset, where individuals believe their capabilities are static and unchangeable. Those with a fixed mindset might avoid challenges, give up easily, or feel threatened by others; success. In contrast, a growth mindset fosters resilience, encourages learning from setbacks, and inspires an appreciation for effort as a pathway to mastery (Yeager & Dweck, 2020).

This distinction is not merely theoretical. Research shows that adopting a growth mindset can have profound effects on various aspects of life, including academic achievement, mental health and social relationships (Burnette et al., 2023). For instance:

• Academic : Have you ever struggled in school and thought, “I will never get this?” Students with a growth mindset often achieve higher grades, demonstrate greater persistence in learning, and embrace challenges as opportunities to improve.
• Mental health: A growth mindset can help reduce depressive symptoms, encourage adaptive coping strategies, and build resilience when facing adversity.
• Social relationships: Imagine approaching conflicts with empathy and a willingness to learn rather than defensiveness. A growth mindset fosters better conflict resolution skills, empathy and healthier, more constructive relationships.

Growth mindset in therapy

If you have ever felt stuck in therapy or wondered if meaningful change was possible, you are not alone. Therapy often involves facing deep-seated fears, confronting painful memories, or addressing long-standing patterns of behaviour. A fixed mindset might interpret these experiences as confirmation of personal limitations, leading to feelings of hopelessness. By cultivating a growth mindset, individuals can reframe these challenges as opportunities for self-discovery and transformation.

For example, clients with a growth mindset are more likely to:

• Embrace challenges: Seeing difficulties as a natural part of growth rather than insurmountable barriers.
• Persist through setbacks: Understanding that progress is not linear and setbacks provide valuable lessons.
• Seek feedback: Valuing constructive input as a means to improve rather than as a critique of their worth.
• Celebrate effort: Recognising that effort is an essential component of any meaningful change.

However, shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset can feel challenging at first, especially if past experiences have reinforced self-doubt. Be patient with yourself and remember that growth is a gradual process.

Evidence supporting growth mindset interventions

Studies indicate that growth mindset interventions can positively impact mental health and wellbeing. Growth mindset interventions are structured activities or programmes designed to encourage individuals to believe that their abilities, intelligence and other traits are malleable and can improve with effort and persistence.

Examples include:

• Education-based interventions: Students learn that the brain develops through effort and learning. Activities might include reflecting on past failures and identifying how persistence contributed to improvement (Yeager et al., 2019).
• Therapeutic techniques: Reframing negative self-talk (e.g., “I am bad at this” becomes “I am not good at this yet”) and focusing on incremental progress toward goals.
• Workplace applications: Training programmes that highlight the value of learning from constructive feedback and prioritising growth over immediate success.

These interventions have demonstrated improvements in motivation, goal-directed behaviour and reductions in depressive symptoms when individuals embrace a growth-oriented approach (Burnette et al., 2023; Yeager & Dweck, 2020). Notably, these strategies tend to be most effective for individuals facing significant challenges or stressors, providing an additional layer of hope and empowerment.

Applying the growth mindset in everyday life

Integrating a growth mindset into daily life can start with small but significant changes:

1. Reframe negative thoughts: Instead of thinking, “I cannot do this” reframe to, “I cannot do this yet.”
2. Set realistic goals: Break larger goals into manageable steps to maintain momentum and celebrate small victories.
3. Practice self-compassion: Treat mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. For example, a client might view a missed goal in therapy as a chance to explore what barriers they faced, rather than as a failure.
4. Surround yourself with support: Building a growth mindset is not a solo journey—your environment and relationships play a critical role. Choose positive influences who encourage growth, provide constructive feedback, and model resilience. Engage in communities that share a growth-oriented perspective and create spaces that inspire positivity and learning.

Final thoughts

The journey to personal growth and resilience is deeply individual, but the principles of a growth mindset provide a valuable compass. As clients and therapists work together, adopting this perspective can transform therapy into a space not just for healing but for flourishing. Whether you are navigating a personal challenge or seeking to understand yourself better, remember: growth is always possible.

Lucie Ramet is an experienced Chartered Psychologist and CBT & ACT Therapist offering short and long-term individual support to adolescents (16+) and adults. She works in English and French. She works Mondays and Fridays from our Brighton and Hove practice, She also offers online sessions.

Further reading by Lucie Ramet –

Your brain is not for thinking – it’s for survival and balance

Emotions: hardwired tools from our evolutionary past

Embracing a mindful new year: Achieving resolutions with ACT therapy

References –

• Burnette, J. L., Billingsley, J., Banks, G. C., Knouse, L. E., Hoyt, C. L., Pollack, J. M., & Simon, S. (2023). A systematic review and meta-analysis of growth mindset interventions: For whom, how, and why might such interventions work? Psychological Bulletin, 149(3–4), 174–205. 
• Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2020). What can be learned from growth mindset controversies? American Psychologist, 75(9), 1269–1284.