The Power to Change: Transforming Your Mindset

Growing up, I often found myself limited by my own mindset. In school, if I struggled with a subject, I’d quickly label myself as “just not good at this” and give up on the idea of improvement. When it came to health and fitness, I’d fall into the same pattern, believing I wasn’t the “sporty type” and thinking my abilities were set. This mindset became a quiet obstacle that held me back in areas I might have grown in, had I been open to the idea of change.

It wasn’t until later—when I became a parent and began watching my children’s personalities and responses to challenges develop—that I began to understand the impact of mindset on growth. Watching one child embrace challenges while the other hesitated, I started questioning why we view our abilities the way we do. This curiosity only deepened when I began my coaching journey and was challenged to examine my own beliefs about my potential and limitations.

That journey made me realise that our mindset isn’t just a background thought; it shapes how we tackle goals, respond to setbacks, and even perceive ourselves. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I’ll never be good at this” or “I just can’t change,” know that mindset is not fixed. This blog will explore how to transform these thoughts and shift from a fixed mindset to one of growth and possibility.

What is Mindset?

At its core, mindset refers to the set of beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions we hold about ourselves, our abilities, and the world around us. It’s the lens through which we interpret and respond to life’s challenges, opportunities, and setbacks. Our mindset shapes our perceptions of what’s possible and influences how we engage with both success and failure. These deeply ingrained beliefs can either propel us forward or hold us back, depending on whether we see ourselves as capable of growth or limited by fixed traits.

Psychologist Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking research introduced two distinct types of mindsets: fixed and growth mindsets. These two ways of thinking dictate how we view our talents, intelligence, and potential for personal development.

Fixed Mindset: People with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities, intelligence, and talents are static and unchangeable. They see their qualities as something they were born with, and as a result, tend to avoid challenges for fear of failure, believing that effort won’t make a difference. They often perceive mistakes or setbacks as a reflection of their inherent limitations. This mindset can lead to a fear of taking risks and a reluctance to try new things, as failure is equated with personal inadequacy.

Growth Mindset: On the other hand, those with a growth mindset view their abilities as malleable and improvable through effort, learning, and perseverance. They embrace challenges as opportunities to develop and are more resilient in the face of setbacks, seeing failure not as a sign of incompetence but as a stepping stone for growth. They believe that hard work and persistence are the keys to unlocking potential and achieving success, and they are more likely to push themselves beyond their comfort zones.

These two contrasting mindsets have profound effects on how we approach life. While a fixed mindset can create barriers to personal and professional growth, a growth mindset opens the door to continual learning and adaptation. Embracing a growth mindset means recognising that change is possible and that we can develop new skills, improve our abilities, and reshape our future with time, effort, and dedication.

How Our Mindset Shapes Our Life

Our mindset acts as the internal filter through which we interpret the events of our lives, colouring how we respond to opportunities, setbacks, and even everyday interactions. Life events—especially those that challenge or affirm our beliefs about ourselves—can deeply influence how our mindset develops. For example, experiences of failure, success, praise, or criticism throughout childhood or significant life changes can reinforce a fixed or growth mindset, often without us realising it.

A central idea in this is the self-fulfilling prophecy: the notion that our beliefs and expectations about ourselves have a powerful influence on our outcomes. If we believe we’re capable of growth, we’ll naturally approach challenges with more openness and resilience, increasing our chances of success. This mindset reinforces a cycle of positive behaviour, as each step forward builds confidence and motivates us to continue challenging ourselves. For instance, someone who believes they can improve their skills will view setbacks as part of the learning process, using each challenge as a stepping stone. This growth-oriented belief creates momentum, helping them to persist and expand their potential over time.

On the other hand, a fixed mindset can fuel a self-fulfilling prophecy in the opposite direction. If we think of our abilities as fixed, we’re more likely to avoid challenging situations for fear of failure or inadequacy. Each time we step back from an opportunity or avoid a risk, it reinforces the idea that we’re limited, creating a loop of self-doubt and missed chances. Over time, this can become a persistent narrative, where the avoidance of risk and the fear of failure prevent us from reaching our potential. When setbacks arise, instead of seeing them as chances to grow, we might see them as proof of our limitations, further reinforcing the belief that our skills and abilities are static.

Ultimately, mindset plays a significant role in shaping our life paths. It affects how we bounce back from setbacks, our openness to new experiences, and our willingness to embrace change. Whether we realise it or not, our mindset is often the unseen driver behind many of our choices, from career success to personal fulfilment, influencing how we grow and adapt as individuals. Recognising this influence can be the first step in taking control and steering our lives in a more fulfilling direction.

Can We Change Our Mindset?

Absolutely! Research in neuroscience has shown that mindset is not fixed—thanks to the brain’s ability to change and adapt, a concept known as neuroplasticity (a concept I covered in a previous blog about habit building). Neuroplasticity means that our brain can form new connections and rewire itself throughout our lives. This opens up the possibility of shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, no matter how deeply ingrained our current beliefs or patterns of thinking may be.

Interestingly, it’s also common to have a growth mindset in some areas of life and a fixed mindset in others. For example, I’ve always had a growth mindset when it comes to certain elements of my learning and skills development. But for a long time, I was limited by a fixed mindset when it came to certain subjects, like maths, or my sporting abilities. I carried the belief that I “just wasn’t sporty” or wasn’t “naturally athletic,” which kept me from even trying new physical activities or pushing myself in fitness. This fixed mindset about my physical abilities got in the way for years, stopping me from exploring what my body could do.

Recognising these mindset differences helped me see that, while I was open to growth in one area, I was holding myself back in another. By acknowledging the fixed beliefs I held about my physical abilities, I could start challenging them with the same open-mindedness I applied to certain aspects of my learning. This showed me that mindset change is possible across different areas of life and that it’s worth exploring where fixed beliefs might be quietly shaping our choices.

Changing your mindset is not an overnight process but rather one that requires awareness, intention, and consistent practice (sound familiar? Probably, since it’s these same qualities that support resilience, self-reflection, habit-building and self-compassion, etc.). First, it’s essential to become aware of the mindset you currently operate from. Do you say, "I’m just not good at this" or "I’ll never be able to change"? Recognising these fixed-mindset thoughts is the first step in shifting them.

How Can We Make Changes?

Every time we engage in a new thought or behaviour, we activate certain neural circuits in the brain. At first, this might feel awkward or unnatural, as the brain is used to relying on old, well-worn pathways. But with repeated effort, new circuits start to form and strengthen. The more you practice shifting your mindset—by catching negative or self-limiting thoughts and replacing them with growth-oriented ones—the more those new pathways solidify. Over time, this process rewires your brain to respond differently to challenges and opportunities, making the growth mindset more of a default way of thinking.

This means that, even if you’ve been stuck in a fixed mindset for years, you have the power to change it. Whether it’s learning a new skill, overcoming self-doubt, or pushing through difficult moments, you can develop the ability to approach life with a growth mindset. It takes practice and patience, but the brain’s plasticity makes lasting change possible.

Steps and Habits for Changing Your Mindset

To truly shift to a growth mindset, the brain needs consistent input and intentional practice of growth-oriented habits. Here are key steps and habits that reinforce this shift over time:

1. Awareness of Your Current Mindset
   Start by identifying where you may feel stuck or where limiting beliefs hold you back. Recognising these fixed-mindset areas is the essential first step toward change. Once you have this awareness, you’ll be able to catch those moments when old thought patterns arise.

2. Reframe Challenges and Failures
   Practice reframing challenges as opportunities to learn, rather than as threats to your abilities. Shift your language from “I can’t” to “I’m learning” or “I haven’t mastered this yet.” This approach allows you to see setbacks as growth opportunities instead of evidence of personal limitations.

3. Set Learning Goals Over Performance Goals
   Focus on improvement rather than perfection. When you prioritise learning goals, you aim to grow and build skills, not just achieve flawless results. This creates a mindset that values the journey of growth, making it easier to tackle challenges with resilience.

4. Adopt a Learner’s Attitude
   Embrace curiosity and a love of learning. Encourage yourself to try new things, even if there’s a risk of failure, and to see learning as a lifelong journey. This open-minded approach makes it easier to accept challenges without feeling limited by the need for perfection.

5. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results
   Recognise that effort, perseverance, and adaptability are just as valuable as the outcome. Focusing on these aspects of the process helps reinforce the growth mindset, where every step forward, no matter how small, is celebrated as progress.

6. Seek Feedback as a Tool for Growth
   Instead of seeing feedback as criticism, use it as a valuable tool for improvement. Growth-minded people seek out feedback, learn from it, and adjust their approach, understanding that it’s part of the learning process rather than a reflection of personal failure.

7. Surround Yourself with Growth-Oriented People
   Connect with people who encourage learning and challenge you to improve to create an environment that supports growth. This kind of support system reinforces the growth mindset and makes it easier to step outside your comfort zone.

8. Practice Self-Compassion
   Remember, mindset change isn’t always easy. Treat yourself with kindness, especially when you face setbacks. Self-compassion allows you to embrace mistakes as part of the growth process, helping you sustain motivation for long-term change.

Making Growth a Natural Habit

With consistent practice, these steps and habits help to reinforce new neural pathways in the brain, making a growth mindset a natural part of your approach to life. Although shifting your mindset may feel challenging at first, it becomes easier and more automatic over time. By choosing to value learning, resilience, and self-compassion, you’re able to build a mindset that’s not only growth-oriented but also sustainable, empowering you to approach challenges and opportunities with a fresh perspective.

The Benefits of a Growth Mindset

Adopting a growth mindset can have transformative effects, leading to increased resilience, enhanced performance, and a more optimistic outlook when facing life’s challenges. When we approach our abilities and potential as something we can continually develop, it naturally builds confidence and flexibility, making us more prepared to adapt and learn from setbacks rather than be discouraged by them.

For example, many successful individuals have attributed their achievements to a shift in mindset. Take entrepreneurs who faced initial failures: rather than viewing these setbacks as signs they weren’t cut out for success, they saw them as learning experiences, helping them refine their approach and build on their skills. Athletes who once doubted their physical abilities often report that embracing a growth mindset allowed them to push beyond perceived limits, ultimately improving their performance through dedicated practice.

A growth mindset also promotes emotional well-being. When we believe we can grow and improve, we’re less likely to be derailed by criticism or challenges. Instead of viewing setbacks as reflections of personal shortcomings, we see them as opportunities to learn, which reduces self-criticism and increases resilience. This openness to personal development creates a more positive, empowered approach to life, fostering both mental health and personal fulfilment as we build confidence in our ability to grow.

The Ongoing Journey

Changing your mindset is an ongoing journey, not a one-time shift. It takes patience, persistence, and a willingness to challenge old patterns with compassion, especially when setbacks arise. From my own experience, I know this to be true: in some areas, I feel confident in my ability to accomplish anything I set my mind to. Yet, in other areas, I catch myself slipping into a fixed mindset—limiting my potential with old beliefs. Shifting those thoughts isn’t instant; it requires consistent practice and a reminder to approach them with kindness rather than frustration.

Raising twins has given me a unique perspective on mindset. One of my children has shown a natural growth mindset from an early age; their curiosity and resilience have made me even more fascinated by Carol Dweck’s research on nature vs. nurture. In contrast, my other child leans toward a fixed mindset, showing more hesitancy around challenges and a fear of making mistakes. Supporting that child’s neuroplasticity—helping them see that abilities can grow with practice—has been both challenging and rewarding. It’s a reminder that changing mindset isn’t just about saying “I can” but about engaging the mind and brain in ways that unlock new possibilities.

Encouraging growth, whether in myself or my children, has taught me that it’s all about taking small, gradual steps. Starting small allows the mind to adapt without feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of instant transformation. Every small win—a shift in self-talk, a new willingness to try something—reinforces new pathways and builds momentum. I remind myself and my children that even the tiniest steps toward growth matter, and ultimately, it’s the journey, not the end result, that shapes our abilities and resilience.

Last Word

In conclusion, remember that yes, we can absolutely change our mindset. Shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset opens doors to new learning, improvement, and resilience. Embracing growth empowers us to approach challenges with grace and curiosity, reminding us that we’re capable of evolving and expanding our potential.

This approach not only enhances self-awareness but also aligns beautifully with a commitment to personal development, equipping us to lead more fulfilling, growth-oriented lives.