Growth Mindset
What is a Growth Mindset?
The term “growth mindset” was coined by Stanford professor, Carol Dweck, in her child psychology research. In that work, she defines a growth mindset as the ability to reframe perceived failures as opportunities to learn and grow.
The Growth Mindset/Self-Care Connection
Fostering a growth mindset and resilient attitude is a good way to combat procrastination, feelings of imposter syndrome, and other negative emotions that can impact our mental health in the academic space. By having a growth mindset, you are more likely to take on challenging tasks and succeed at them because you are more willing to try new strategies or increase your effort than students with a fixed mindset.
What is the Difference Between a Growth and Fixed Mindset?
Growth Mindset 
| Intelligence and talent can be grown | Challenges are worth the effort | Failures can be reframed as learning opportunities | Improvement results from balancing negative and positive feedback | Goals are something you continue working toward, even if they seem difficult | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed Mindset 
| You can learn, but you cannot change | Intelligence and ability cannot be improved | Criticism is personal and should be avoided | Negative feedback is more meaningful than positive comments | Tasks that seem too difficult are okay to give up on |
How Can You Foster A Growth Mindset?
Learn to value effort
Remember that you are at Stanford to learn. You are in the process of becoming an expert in your field, and that means you won’t always get everything right. Instead of a self-critical approach in the face of failures, reframe failures and challenges as opportunities for learning and growth.
Use the word “yet”
By using the word “yet,” you focus on the future, and the ever-present potential for improvement. For example, “I don’t know how to solve this problem set yet,” “I haven’t mastered this theory yet,” or “I will do better next time.”
Practice self-compassion
Self-compassion is an effective emotional regulation strategy that involves turning the compassion you give toward others inward. The process neutralizes negative emotional patterns and engenders more positive feelings of kindness and connectedness. One way you can practice self-compassion is to talk to yourself as you would a friend, especially in moments of perceived failure and insurmountable challenges.
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Growth Mindset
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