Growth mindset: How your beliefs affect your well-being

Reviewed by Agnes Ward, PhD, LP, CAADC, BCBA, LBA

Written by

therapist.com team

Last updated: 09/15/2025

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Mindset is an important, but sometimes overlooked, aspect of everyday life. Research shows that how we think about our abilities can dramatically impact our mental health, relationships, and success in life.¹

What is a growth mindset?

A growth mindset refers to a core belief that our talents can be developed through effort and practice. This contrasts sharply with a fixed mindset, which refers to a belief that personal traits are unchangeable.

Think of it this way: If you believe your intelligence, personality, or abilities are set in stone, you have a fixed mindset. But if you see these traits more like clay, which can be shaped and improved upon, you have a growth mindset. The mindset we choose to carry can influence our thoughts and behaviors over time.

Why having a growth mindset matters

The benefits of developing a growth mindset extend far beyond goal achievement. Here’s how it can improve your life.

Mental health benefits

Having a growth mindset helps reduce mental distress and build resilience, helping people handle anxiety and disappointment in healthier ways.² When you believe you can grow and change, setbacks feel less permanent and overwhelming.

Research shows that a growth mindset about anxiety can weaken the connection between stress and distress. ³ This can help people stay more balanced in tough times.

Professional and personal success

People with growth mindsets are more likely to be satisfied with their careers and to feel capable of adapting when needed. ⁴ This might be because they navigate workplace challenges and transitions more effectively.

Growth mindset improves adaptability when life gets tough, making change feel manageable rather than scary.

What does a growth mindset look like?

People with growth mindsets share several key characteristics:

Belief in development: They genuinely believe that abilities can improve with effort and practice.

Embracing challenges: Rather than avoiding difficult tasks, they see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.

Valuing effort: They understand that effort is the path to mastery, not a sign of weakness or lack of ability.⁵

Openness to feedback: They welcome constructive criticism, viewing it as information that helps them improve.

Adaptability: They’re flexible when circumstances change and view setbacks as temporary obstacles rather than failures.⁶

Positive learning emotions: They experience curiosity, excitement, and satisfaction when learning new things, even when it’s difficult.

Signs you might be struggling with a fixed mindset

Recognizing fixed mindset patterns is the first step toward change. Here are some warning signs:

Avoiding difficult goals or situations: You consistently choose easier goals or tasks to avoid the risk of failure, or looking incompetent.⁷

Viewing traits as permanent and unchangeable: You might have thoughts like, “I’m just not a math person,” or “I’m not creative,” and truly believe there’s nothing you can do to change this.⁸

Negative effort beliefs: You doubt that simply trying hard actually helps people improve over time.

Struggling to regulate emotions: You tend to withdraw or give up when things get difficult rather than pushing through.⁹

Experiencing more stress and burnout: You feel overwhelmed by setbacks and have trouble bouncing back from disappointments.¹⁰

If you recognize these patterns, don’t worry—mindsets can be changed with awareness and practice. A therapist can help you develop healthier thought patterns and coping strategies in a supportive environment.

How a fixed mindset can harm your well-being

The research is clear: Fixed mindsets can seriously impact your mental health. A fixed mindset has been linked to higher stress and anxiety, with setbacks or criticism hitting harder when people think their abilities are fixed.¹¹

People with fixed mindsets are more likely to use avoidance-based coping strategies, which can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression.¹² Instead of facing problems directly, they might avoid difficult situations, procrastinate, or give up entirely.

One longitudinal study showed that a fixed mindset about anxiety predicts future distress, even after accounting for other symptoms and risk factors.¹³ This may mean that simply believing your anxiety can’t or won’t change makes its impacts worse over time.

How to develop a growth mindset

The good news is that you can develop a growth mindset with practice. Here are some strategies to try:

Take action when problems arise. Instead of avoiding challenges, take small steps toward solving them. Each action builds confidence in your ability to handle difficulties.

Use mindfulness to notice your thoughts. Pay attention to your inner dialogue. For instance, when you catch yourself thinking, “I can’t do this,” try reframing it as, “I can’t do this yet, but I can learn.”

Build your support network. Surround yourself with people who encourage growth and learning. Their attitudes can be contagious.

Developing grit

Grit refers to the ability to maintain passion and persistence toward long-term goals, even when facing obstacles or setbacks.

Research shows that a growth mindset and grit work together as complementary qualities that strengthen each other.¹⁴ This happens over time through deliberate practice, encouraging environments, and focused interventions.

You can build grit by setting meaningful long-term goals, practicing skills even when they’re difficult, and viewing setbacks as part of the learning process rather than signs of failure.

Getting professional help

It’s completely normal to feel stuck at times. But if you’re struggling with overwhelming negative beliefs, developing a growth mindset may require professional support. Therapists can help you reframe negative thoughts and set realistic goals using a variety of approaches.

In practice, developing a growth mindset may require:

Growth mindset interventions designed to foster the belief that abilities and traits are flexible and can be shaped. Depending on how they’re implemented, these interventions can affect academic achievement, mental health, and social functioning.¹⁵

Resilience training, which includes mindfulness-based programs, stress management techniques, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and other training programs. These are designed to improve resilience and lower stress, with longer interventions (more than one session) showing particularly strong effects.¹⁶

Moving forward

Whether you’re facing workplace challenges, managing anxiety, or building resilience, adopting a growth mindset can create meaningful change.

Keep in mind that developing a growth mindset takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself as you work to shift long-held beliefs about your abilities. With consistent effort, you can learn to view challenges as opportunities and setbacks as stepping stones to growth. Visit our therapist directory to find a qualified mental health professional who can guide you on your journey toward greater resilience and personal growth.