What exactly is a growth mindset? And 5 strategies for parents to develop one in their child.

“One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can just barely achieve through one’s greatest efforts.” —Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was a brilliant scientist and mathematician. But with this quote he could have defined what a “Growth Mindset” is years before the term became popular in education circles.   The concept of growth and fixed mindsets was coined by psychologist Carol Dweck in her 2006 book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

According to Dweck, a Growth Mindset is the belief that a person’s most basic abilities can be developed through dedication, hard work, and practice. On the other hand, people with fixed mindsets believe that intelligence and skills are innate, and that whatever strengths or deficits you are born with, stay with you for life.

Put another way, people with a growth mindset understand effort is required to succeed, they accept (constructive) criticism, and persevere during times of struggle. Those with fixed mindset characteristics fear failure, avoid challenges, ignore feedback, and give up easily.

Parents: which better describes your child? 

Dweck says, “If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning.” 

What the research says

One can go down the proverbial rabbit hole when researching any topic, from what the Baywatch beauties look like today to whether Big Foot was actually spotted in the Oregon woods. But the research on the effectiveness of growth mindsets is fascinating. Perhaps a good place to start is with a definition of intelligence. If you define intelligence as brain processing speed and memory, then those particular cognitive abilities tend to stay fixed. However, if you choose to broaden the definition to include knowledge and skills, then we can improve these commodities.

Intriguing is the research into brain plasticity, which is a process that involves adaptive structural and functional changes to the brain, according to the National Library of Medicine. In an article on Mindset Works, it states: “Research on brain plasticity has shown how connectivity between neurons can change with experience. With practice, neural networks grow new connections, strengthen existing ones, and build insulation that speeds transmission of impulses. These neuroscientific discoveries have shown us that we can increase our neural growth by the actions we take, such as using good strategies, asking questions, practicing, and following good nutrition and sleep habits.” This is a significant piece of research worthy of sharing with children: Your brain can change!

Finally, research shows that developing a growth mindset and building grit is critical to success. In fact, according to the researcher Jennifer Bashant, grit and perseverance and self-discipline are better predictors of success in college than SAT or IQ test scores. 

Strategies and techniques to develop a growth mindset

Now that you are 100 percent on board with the importance of creating a growth mindset in your child, what follows are some researched-back strategies and techniques to help guide you.

1. In Big Life Journal there is a wonderful article dedicated to teaching about neuroplasticity. Some of the suggestions include: 

• Teaching your child about the brain and its basic functions. This video is a great place to start.
• Sharing amazing facts such as there are as many neurons in the brain as there are stars in the Milky Way: about 100 billion!
• Celebrating mistakes because this is how the brain grows!

2. Another powerful way to develop a growth mindset is to use certain phrases with your child while avoiding other ones. Positive Psychology has a complete list of suggestions that includes:

• Instead of saying “You are so smart!” say “You worked so hard!”
• Instead of saying “You are so clever!” say “I like how you persevered on that problem.”

3. Remember to be a role model. Think aloud how you problem solve or work you way through a concern in your life. 

4. When your child is struggling with a problem or situation, ask questions. (Avoid being the bulldozer parent who jumps in solves the problem.) Ask: What is your brain saying? What is the hardest part? What are some challenges you have already overcome?

5. Introduce the Power of Yet. Yet is a small word but packs a punch with possibilities:

• I can’t do this… yet.
• This doesn’t work… yet.
• I am not good at this… yet.

Final thoughts

Fostering a growth mindset in your child is critical for both their school success and, more importantly, for your child to thrive as an adult 10 or 15 years down the road. Inevitably, the ups and downs of life are going to come and confront your child. Armed with a growth mindset, your child will have strategies and techniques to address these challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. By teaching your kid about brain plasticity, carefully wording your praise, and employing the power of yet, you will put your child in the best position to flourish now and in the future as a positive contributing member of their adult community.

If your child struggles with a fixed mindset or you need help developing a growth mindset in your child, contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain to discover how a Learning Specialist could help.