Have you ever wondered if you can truly change your mindset? While researching this topic, I found a book that changed how I think about growth: Mindset, The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. She breaks down the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, and once you see it, you can't unsee it in your own life. Here's the difference, plus how to start shifting yours in 2026.
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Key Takeaways
- Understanding the difference between fixed and growth mindsets is crucial for personal development.
- Fixed mindsets limit potential; statements reflect a belief in unchangeable abilities.
- Growth mindsets foster improvement; statements emphasize learning and adaptability.
- To change your mindset, practice daily affirmations (affiliate), evaluate your surroundings, and monitor your inputs.
- Use simple mindset hacks like reframing negative thoughts and tracking daily wins to foster a growth mindset.
The Difference between a Fixed Mindset and a Growth Mindset
Learning the difference is key (affiliate) to helping you take action. We tend to think we are always of the growth mindset, but are we really? I know I question it sometimes in my business and in my personal life. Below, I am sharing some statements that are fixed-mindset and growth-mindset versions to help you distinguish the difference.
Fixed Mindset
Fixed mindsets can stop you from seeing the beauty of the process and what you have accomplished. Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., says, "In a fixed mindset, it is not enough just to succeed. It is not enough just to look smart and talented. You have to be pretty much flawless. And you have to be flawless right away... After all, if you have it, you have it, and if you don't know, you don't…" from mindsetonline.com(no longer in existence).
Below are fixed mindset statements. Do you say any of these to yourself?
"I'm just not a creative person."
"I've always been bad at this, so there's no point trying."
"If I have to work hard at it, I must not be good at it."
"I don't take criticism well - it feels like an attack."
"This is just who I am. I can't change at this point."
"If I fail, it means I'm not smart enough."
"Other people are naturally talented. I wasn't."
"I'd rather stick with what I know than risk looking bad."
"I've tried before and it didn't work, so why try again."
"My abilities are fixed - either you have it or you don't."
Growth Mindset
A growth mindset allows you to learn and change your mindset more easily. The definition of a growth mindset from mindsetworks.com (no longer available) is "the understanding of intelligence and abilities as qualities we can develop, which has been shown over and over to have powerful ramifications on student motivation and learning, and school success."
Below are growth mindset statements. How about these? Do you say any of these to yourself?
"I'm not good at this yet, but I can improve with practice."
"Mistakes help me learn what to do differently next time."
"Hard work is how I get better - effort is the path, not proof I'm lacking."
"I welcome feedback because it helps me grow."
"I can develop new skills and abilities over time."
"Failure is data, not a verdict on who I am."
"Other people's success doesn't take anything away from mine."
"Trying something new, even if I might look awkward, is worth it."
"Just because something didn't work before doesn't mean it never will."
"My abilities grow the more I use and stretch them."
Below is what to say in a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset.
| If you say this as a fixed mindset... | Change to this... (growth mindset) |
|---|---|
| "I'm just not a creative person." | "I'm not good at this yet, but I can improve with practice." |
| "I've always been bad at this, so there's no point trying." | "Mistakes help me learn what to do differently next time." |
| "If I have to work hard at it, I must not be good at it." | "Hard work is how I get better — effort is the path, not proof I'm lacking." |
| "I don't take criticism well — it feels like an attack." | "I welcome feedback because it helps me grow." |
| "This is just who I am. I can't change at this point." | "I can develop new skills and abilities over time." |
| "If I fail, it means I'm not smart enough." | "Failure is data, not a verdict on who I am." |
| "Other people are naturally talented. I wasn't." | "Other people's success doesn't take anything away from mine." |
| "I'd rather stick with what I know than risk looking bad." | "Trying something new, even if I might look awkward, is worth it." |
| "I've tried before and it didn't work, so why try again." | "Just because something didn't work before doesn't mean it never will." |
| "My abilities are fixed — either you have it or you don't." | "My abilities grow the more I use and stretch them." |
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5 Questions That Reveal Your Real Mindset
While pondering these definitions, I came up with some starter questions to help determine my mindset. Feel free to use them to help you learn yours.
- Where am I now in my perception of where I want to be? Am I fulfilled but not happy?
- Am I looking at my future optimistically? Or do I foresee the same things happening over and over?
- Am I making my decisions from past actions? Do I feel I am not intelligent enough to make a change in my life?
- Am I willing to clear those thoughts? Or do I think those thoughts are set in stone and can't be changed?
- If I could change those thoughts, what thoughts would I put in their place?
I hope these questions help you start determining how fixed your mindset is. It helped me.
Listening to where you came from in your mindset and replacing those thoughts with a growth mindset will help you get to where you want to be in your life.
How to Change Your Mindset
A great way to change your mindset is to tell yourself over and over that you want to learn and grow. Each morning, you may want to say to yourself while looking in a mirror, I am open to change and learning something new. Creating your favorite mantra also works well. But be vigilant; do it every day, no matter what or wherever you are. I find that to keep the change going, I must be committed to making a move. So, to start to be more committed to change, I will do this to reinforce that I am ready for my life to change.
I also find that reevaluating your surroundings and the people and friends you see on a regular basis helps, too. Make an effort to determine if you are around toxic people.
- Do they often have a cynical look at life?
- Do they express it to you?
Any comment or remark you are exposed to on a regular basis can ingrain in you without you even knowing it.
Another area to analyze is what you watch and listen to on social media. Scrutinize what you are hearing and ask yourself,
- "Is this something that will help me change myself?"
- Or "Is this a positive motivation that will influence me to become an even better person?"
These questions will help you see whether your surroundings are shaping you into who you are, not who you want to be.
I created a quick worksheet that you may want to fill out to help you move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. This worksheet includes six simple steps to help you pivot your mindset to a more productive one.
Feel free to get a copy of my Mindset Reset Worksheet and my other free ebooks and printables.
Simple Mindset Hacks That Actually Work
Changing your mindset isn't just about affirmations in the mirror - it's about small, repeatable habits. Here are a few hacks I use with my clients when their clutter is really a mindset problem in disguise:
- The 2-minute reframe. Catch a negative thought, then rewrite it in one sentence. "I'll never get organized" becomes "I'm learning a system that works for me." These statements take seconds, but they change your whole day.
- Swap "why" for "how." "Why can't I stay consistent?" keeps you stuck and makes you feel like a victim. "How can I make this easier on myself?" moves you forward. I keep a sticky note on my planner with this reminder.
- Audit your inputs weekly. Set a recurring 10-minute check-in to review what you watched, read, or scrolled that week. Drop anything that left you feeling worse, not better.
- Anchor new thoughts to existing habits. Say your mantra while your coffee (affiliate) brews or while you make your bed. Pairing it with something you already do daily makes it stick without adding another task to your list.
- Track one small win a day. A simple notebook or note in your phone works. Growth mindset is built on evidence, and you're collecting proof every single day, even on hard days.
These are small shifts, but they compound over time. The goal isn't perfection; it's progress you can actually see.
I hope this helps motivate you to change your unwanted mindset.
FAQs About Changing Your Mindset
Most people notice small shifts within a few weeks of consistent practice, but a true growth mindset is an ongoing habit, not a one-time fix.
A fixed mindset believes abilities are set in stone. A growth mindset believes abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and practice.
Yes. The people, content, and conversations you're exposed to regularly shape your thinking, often without you realizing it. Auditing both is one of the fastest ways to shift your outlook.
Pick one mantra or reframe and pair it with an existing habit, like brushing your teeth or making coffee, so it becomes automatic.
Not necessarily. Self-guided tools like journaling, mantras, and habit audits work well for many people. If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, a coach, organizer, or therapist can help you go deeper.
If you answered the questions above, what were the results? What did you learn about yourself after reading the questions above? Please leave a comment below.
Note: I did not get a commission for writing this post. I hope you enjoyed it and it helped you become a better person.
Feel free to check out these posts for further information on this topic.
10 Ways to Cultivate a Positive Mindset and Change Your Life
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Janet Barclay says
This is powerful stuff! I hate to admit it, but some of those fixed mindsets are familiar to me. I'll pay attention when this happens and see how I can reframe it.
Sabrina Quairoli says
No judgement here, Janet. These statements resonate with me too, sad to say. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Andi Willis says
I have found that mantras are very helpful in changing my mindset especially when it is negative. I read somewhere that one way to do this is to write down the negative thoughts you have (I don’t know what I’m doing, I feel like a fraud, I don’t think people take me seriously) and then say the opposite. “I am an expert, I know what I’m doing and people respect me.” This exercise has carried me through many rough patches.
Seana Turner says
So many important changes begin with an understanding of where we are truly beginning. Recognizing where we might have become a bit too rigid in our thinking is a classic example. We may say we want to "get things in order," but underneath have some very set ideas that are hindering the process. Something to think about for sure!
William Rusho says
I know for myself, I am constantly trying to alter my mindset. I am not one who likes to be stagnant on anything. I try to adjust and grow all aspects of my life, being it working out for my physique, or reading and teaching myself something new for my mind. When I do that, I notice my outlook is brighter. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Jeri says
Those are great starter questions for exploration. I am striving to create a better growth mindset for myself post-divorce and I think I will add the ones here to my list of topics to explore in my journal.
Ken Dowell says
I took the test and got a growth mindset rating. I did, however, think the test was kind of predictable and I'd be surprised if anyone came up with anything different. I think that is reflected in the comments.
Pamela Chollet says
I'm wondering if a growth mindset isn't similar to an inquisitive nature. It doesn't surprise me that everyone commenting has a growth mindset. I would think that people who blog are interesting in exploring new ideas and expanding their minds and fields of interest. It sounds like Dr. Dweck approach has underpinnings in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Suggesting that we form a set of negative core beliefs that keeps us from taking an action toward change. It looks like a very helpful program.
Erica says
The test said I had a Growth Mindset. We can always benefit from working to make our own mindset more positive. Even if you are an optimist, you can still get caught in a rut, so little reminders like this are really helpful.
Sabrina says
Thanks for commenting, Erica! Yes we are creatures of habit. It does help to have a reminder to wake us up and grow again.
Tuhin says
Fixed mind set is something we should fight against. I am not sure why people with this mindset manage to cope up with this fast changing world.
Meredith @ The Palette Muse says
This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately while my kids are going through elementary school. It seems like schools have a fixed mindset, while kids innately have a growth mindset and I wish we would do a better job encouraging them to keep growing rather than "get it right."
Sabrina says
Great point Meredith. It is really hard for people to get out of their fixed mindset. This should be something that is taught to the teachers so they can teach the students. It shouldn't just be left up to the parents to teach this.
Marquita Herald says
Excellent tips Sabrina. I've read Carol's book as well as much of her associated research and found it very helpful with my own focus on building emotional resilience. I also have a growth mindset but considering how pro-change I tend to be that's not surprising. 🙂
Sabrina says
Thanks for sharing Marquita, I assumed you have read her stuff. 😉 Thanks for commenting.
Patricia Weber says
Growth mindset from the quiz. I intuitively knew that's how it would turn out! hahaha I'm going over to read the article on the quiz page about the 4 steps to change your mindset. Hoping I'll find the practical application of how to BETTER change any thoughts I have that are interfering with my growth mindset.
Phoenicia says
I have 'mostly a growth mindset'. This does not surprise me as there us definitely room for development.
I need to fully let go of negative talk and thinking which is a result of my past experience.
You arrive at a point where you just cannot make any more excuses.
Sabrina says
You are not alone, Phoenicia. I total agree - enough already with the excuses. Thanks for commenting.
Lenie says
I took the test and have a growth mindset - interesting experiment. Don't quite know what I should do with it. I like the way you phrased this question - If I could change those thoughts, what thoughts would I put in their place? = I am going to think that one over for a bit.
Jacqueline Gum says
I tested as having a growth mindset too. Mostly, I hate being put in a box! I do think, for the most part, the biggest limitations are the ones we impose on ourselves. Looks like a really good book!