Growth Mindset Qualities

What Are The Qualities of a Growth Mindset?

Some people either possess or foster a different style of thinking that helps them to find success, and so, they have growth mindset qualities, whereby they want to succeed. So, what are the growth mindset qualities, and how can you adopt a growth mindset to create change? Or improve your chances of success?

Growth Mindset Qualities Sets Them Apart

Some of the most influential people throughout history have found success because of their mindset. Many of these people have taken an approach where they go beyond what is expected of them. They challenged themselves and carved their own path through life.

Our minds are exceptionally powerful. There are those who live within the constraints of their mind and those who are highly effective and think differently. What qualities do those with a growth mindset exhibit?

Fixed and growth mindsets

To begin with, the Growth Mindset itself is the primary quality. There are two types of mindsets known as fixed and growth.

A fixed mindset means thinking that we can't change our individual traits despite how much effort we put in. Fixed mindsets leave individuals believing that only talent and a particular set of circumstances will lead to success. This instantly holds individuals back from succeeding.

In contrast, those with a growth mindset will believe they have the power to make a change. They seek out opportunities, they want to grow, and they want to improve. Individuals don't hold themselves back as they go out and get what they want.

They are mindful of who they are, how they want to grow, and constantly learning. Mindfulness is closely related. What is mindfulness? Your relationship to yourself and self-awareness. On the other hand, mindset talks about the way you approach others and your growth.

A Growth Mindset, therefore, is an approach to seeking growth as opposed to the more inward awareness orientation of mindfulness. A growth mindset means that we believe we can develop or grow our talents, skills, and intelligence.

Read more: Fixed Versus Growth Mindset - What's The Difference?

Growth mindset and success

Psychologist Carol Dweck has undertaken a lot of work surrounding our mindsets and how they impact our success. She has said that

“My work bridges developmental psychology, social psychology, and personality psychology, and examines the self-conceptions (or mindsets) people use to structure the self and guide their behaviour. My research looks at the origins of these mindsets, their role in motivation and self-regulation, and their impact on achievement and interpersonal processes.”

Watch below Carol Dweck speaking at TEDxNorrköping exploring the Power Of Yet and how to give people feedback that helps encourage improvement. She calls this a "path to the future."

They Live in the Moment

Those who have a growth mindset believe in living in the here and now. The past is the past, and we can do nothing to change that.

Therefore, highly effective individuals have the ability to learn and grow. This means that they focus on the present and don't worry or think about what might have happened. They realize that this present moment is for living, and this is where a growth mindset creates a belief that they feel as though they can achieve and grow.

The reality is that the past should be left as the past. There are those who dwell and those who dust themselves off and begin to move forward once more.

You Are Here - Being in the Moment is a Growth Mindset Quality
Living in the present is a key quality of Growth Mindset. Photo Credit: John Baker on Unsplash.

Actions Count for Everything

Individuals who are elite achievers are those types who start off with small steps, despite having big dreams. They understand that they need a starting point, but from there, they can take action. This taking action and doing something is all about them using their growth mindset to increase their knowledge, which they know is nothing on its own.

Through action, they can apply their knowledge, and this deliberate practice turns them into successful individuals4. To find success in life, you have to take action. A belief that we can cultivate qualities leads to action, which can begin at any time in life. There are those who begin this process in high school and those who do it when they are older. The main factor underpinning this quality is that they move away from their comfort zones.

Challenges Excite

A growth mindset sees challenges as something to embrace. The reality is that they see a challenge as a way of proving themselves1. When the opportunity to challenge arises, they face it head-on and prove that mindset allows people to achieve. As a result, they become stronger and smarter.

Sometimes, challenges can frighten you, but until you have faced that challenge, there is no way of knowing how you will react. Individuals with a growth mindset believe that they can overcome any challenge that they are facing and come out of it a better person. The difference is that they get stuck in. Often they will take on difficult projects first.

Self-Discipline Leads to Goals

Individuals that have a growth mindset have a different thought process than others. Therefore, when it comes to succeeding and getting what they want, they are well aware of the fact that they will have to work for it. This means that they require an impressive level of self-discipline. This commitment allows them to put all of their focus on the end goal.

As a result, their rigorous efforts and determination enable them to succeed and get to where they want to be. They don't waste time proving that they can do it, they go beyond their basic abilities and find a path to success.

Positivity Breeds Success

Everyone is aware of the importance of a positive attitude, and this is one of the basic qualities of a growth mindset. A happy life that avoids failure is one that is filled with positivity3.

People with a growth mindset are optimists and maintain a positive attitude, and this is one of those fixed traits that come with being a highly effective individual.

Of course, they come across challenging times and tough periods in life. However, their positivity allows them to form new stronger attitudes whereby they understand the significance of positivity. They treat personal criticism as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Positivity is something that drives success. They almost go hand-in-hand, and that is why individuals with a growth mindset are the ones to move forward and achieve.

Supportive of Others

Successful people are not completely oblivious to the importance of help. Everyone, at some point in their life, needs the help of someone. As a result, they are well aware of how important it is to help others and use emotional intelligence to develop positive relationships with others. This is where they identify that others can develop abilities with some guidance and help.

What underpins this kind of thinking is that if you want to get what you want, you have to help others. So, they aim to help people each day as that often leads to getting more back than what they have put in.

Resilience is One of the Key Growth Mindset Qualities

Growth is not something that happens in the blink of an eye. In fact, it is not something that happens overnight. Highly effective individuals are well aware that success does not come easily. What this means is that they commit to everything possible to achieve their goals.

Whether they come across tough times, challenges, or something that could stop them in their tracks, they will keep on going until they come out the other side. They see mistakes and failures as just temporary setbacks and part of life's learning process. This allows them to continue on their path of growth and success.

Difficult Road - Resilience Quality of Growth Mindset
People with a Growth Mindset embrace failure as a means to learn and improve. They think that challenges help them to grow and that effort and perseverance lead to mastery. Photo Credit: Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash

Learning is a Passion

Individuals with a growth mindset desire to continue learning and develop new skills. Their aim is to improve their knowledge as much as possible. From a researcher at Stanford University to someone who has a job with fewer responsibilities, their desire to learn never diminishes2. Their ultimate goal is to become an expert in their field or industry.

At the dawn of a new day, they consider it a brand new opportunity to enhance their knowledge and learn something new. They see it as an opportunity to become stronger and remove any weaknesses that they might have. Their constant need to learn is one of the growth mindset qualities that sets them apart.

Self-Belief is a Core Quality

As Vincent van Gogh said,

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

The truth is, individuals with a growth mindset have real self-belief. Whenever they come across problems or challenges, they have a belief that they will overcome them and approach them with a positive outlook.

Then, once they get past those challenges or setbacks, they will understand why they were there. This helps them to further their learning and experience. Their faith and belief in themselves help them to go on and do amazing things.

All Risks are Calculated

The difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset is that they know how to take risks. The risk-reward scenario is a huge driving factor. They do not consider themselves to be in a better position by never taking a chance. Instead, they believe that they are better off taking a chance while accepting the risk of failure.

Growth Mindset Qualities - The Psychology of Success

Everyone is different, it is what makes the world that we live in so interesting. However, when it comes to mindset, there is no doubt our most basic beliefs play a significant role in how we gain success.

Some are satisfied with sitting back and taking it easy. However, there are those who thrive off improving, growing, learning, and ultimately succeeding on their own terms.

The growth mindset qualities are undoubtedly a vital aspect of becoming successful. Despite this, it is possible to change your thinking, believe in yourself, and create a future where you succeed in growing as an individual without holding yourself back. Developing a growth mindset for change doesn't happen overnight; however, we can all take steps outside of our comfort zone to grow and develop.

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1Chao, M. M., Visaria, S., Mukhopadhyay, A., & Dehejia, R. (2017). Do rewards reinforce the growth mindset?: Joint effects of the growth mindset and incentive schemes in a field intervention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(10), 1402-1419. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xge0000355
2Veronica X. Yan, Khanh-Phuong Thai, Robert A. Bjork, Habits and beliefs that guide self-regulated learning: Do they vary with mindset?, Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, Volume 3, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 140-152, ISSN 2211-3681, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2014.04.003.
3Hans S. Schroder, Tim P. Moran, M. Brent Donnellan, Jason S. Moser, Mindset induction effects on cognitive control: A neurobehavioral investigation, Biological Psychology, Volume 103, 2014, Pages 27-37, ISSN 0301-0511, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.08.004.
4Ng, B. The Neuroscience of Growth Mindset and Intrinsic Motivation. Brain Sci. 2018, 8, 20.
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