Student Success Guide: Develop a Growth Mindset

Mindset is a idea discovered by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck in decades of research on achievement and success.

In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities.

 Instead of saying…

Try saying…

I’m not good at this.

I can’t do this yet!

I give up.

I’ll use some of the strategies that I have been taught.

This is good enough.

Is this my best ever work?

I made a mistake, there’s no point now.

This was the first attempt - I will get there eventually. Mistakes help me learn!

This is too hard.

If something is difficult, it means I am learning.

I’m really good at this subject.

I understand this because I have been practising.

I will never be as clever as them.

I will find out how to do it.

I can’t do this.

This will take time to master - practising will help!

I can’t make this any better.

Improvements can ALWAYS be made.

They can’t do this.

How can I help them to understand this?