Why a Growth Mindset Can Increase Your Self Esteem

There are many different types of mindset and your mindset plays a critical role in how you cope with life’s challenges. Two basic mindsets in particular shape our lives: a fixed and a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset is important because it can help you overcome obstacles you may face when learning something new or developing a new skill. With a fixed mindset, people believe their qualities are fixed traits and therefore cannot change. These people document their intelligence and talents rather than working to develop and improve them. Growth mindsets understand the importance of persistence and determination. By changing the way you think, you can change the way you learn. What is the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset?

hero’s Positive Psychology Coach, Laura Schober explains, “One easy way to describe the difference is that with a fixed mindset you tend to think “I failed due to a limitation of my capabilities. There is no point in trying again because I am simply no good at it’.“However, with a growth mindset you would think ‘I might have failed this time; however, I see it as an opportunity to learn, grow and build additional resources. So next time I try, I will do a little better!’.”People with a growth mindset are confident in their ability to achieve things, because they know even despite setbacks, they will eventually reach their goal.

This elevates self-esteem because of one’s belief in oneself and one’s ability to learn and grow. On the contrary, people with a fixed mindset tend to avoid more challenging tasks, out of fear that this might display their inabilities. This would lead to negative affect and a negative impact on self-esteem, since self-esteem is in this case dependent on achievements. How can you develop a growth mindset? One way to develop a growth mindset is through becoming very mindful of one’s thoughts and beliefs and then to reframe them. Here is a quick and easy exercise that Laura recommends to help you reframe your thoughts:– Think of an event that you consider as negative or as a setback– What happened? Who was involved? How did it make you feel?– Now, think of the same event and reflect on what you have learned from it– Did you develop any personal resources as a result? If yes, which ones? What did this event teach you? And how can you apply this next time you are in a similar situation?

Higher self-esteem, resilience and happiness! Laura adds, “As with everything, developing a growth mindset takes time and practice. However, your effort will pay off!“Research has found that individuals with a growth mindset have higher self-esteem and resilience, and are more optimistic, courageous and happy.”Laura Schober is part of our wider team of delivery experts, specialising in Positive Psychology and Executive Function coaching. The hero delivery team is made up of GP’s, Nutritionists, Psychotherapists, Osteopaths, Wellbeing Coaches, and Physicians across all areas of wellbeing.