Your Intelligence Isn't Fixed: Game-Changing Strategies from Growth Mindset Research

You often hear “growth mindset” bandied about in business podcasts, but what is it? The essential idea is that the way we think about our abilities fundamentally shapes how we learn and grow. While a fixed mindset sees intelligence as static and unchangeable, a growth mindset recognizes that our capabilities can expand through effort, good strategies, and support from others.

Growth mindset has often been oversimplified as just "trying harder." However, the concept is far more nuanced. True growth mindset is about believing intelligence can be developed AND having a repertoire of strategies to make that development happen. In this post, I share some of those strategies from the latest research that I find most compelling. Try some of these out and see if they change the way you feel about your own abilities.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, is one of the world's leading researchers in the field of motivation and development. Her groundbreaking work has revolutionized our understanding of how mindsets shape learning and achievement. Dweck's (2015) research revealed a crucial distinction: students who believed their intelligence could be developed (growth mindset) consistently outperformed those who viewed intelligence as fixed.

This is a stunning finding when you consider that this research controlled for other factors such as natural talent. What is evident is that growth mindset is not something that you are born with. It can be intentionally supported with specific strategies, and it's essential to start early.

The "TEACHing" framework from Maloney et al. (2015) outlines practical and effective strategies for early learners that build growth mindset:

• Talk: The quantity and quality of discussion and interaction between caregivers and children

  • e.g. Asking open-ended questions that promote thinking

• Effort-based praise - Feedback that emphasizes process and improvement rather than fixed abilities

  • e.g. Instead of "You're so smart," say "You worked out a clever solution”

• Anxiety reduction: Creating environments and interactions that reduce performance anxiety or stress around learning

  • e.g. Creating safe spaces for asking questions and expressing confusion

• CHallenging play: Engaging in activities that stretch current abilities while maintaining support

  • e.g. Puzzle-solving that's just beyond current skill level

To learn more about strategies to develop a growth mindset, I recommend Carol Dweck’s bestselling book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

My insights: The Self-efficacy and Growth Mindset Duo

What strikes me about Dweck’s work is how it aligns with the self-efficacy research I explored in a previous post. Both concepts focus on the fundamental importance of our thoughts and beliefs about our own potential, yet serve different functions. Growth mindset provides the foundation for embracing challenges, while self-efficacy gives us the tactical confidence to persist at specific tasks. 

In a practical sense, growth mindset is a more general belief in our ability to learn and succeed in the future, whereas self-efficacy relates to our beliefs about a present learning task. Research shows that both of these characteristics of mind are essential for sustained achievement (Bandura, 1982; Dweck, 2015).

Early experiences create either positive or negative spirals: when children develop both mindsets early, they're more likely to embrace challenges and persist through difficulties. It’s never to late to try some of the strategies above - even as adults we are capable of profound shifts to more positive mindsets that improve performance.

Key Takeaways for NABU and Beyond

1. Build Task-Specific Confidence

   • Break challenges into manageable steps

   • Celebrate specific successes

2. Cultivate Growth Beliefs

   • Share stories of learning through struggle

   • Highlight strategy development over natural talent

   • Frame challenges as opportunities for growth

3. Create Supportive Environments

   • Provide appropriately challenging tasks

   • Offer specific, process-focused feedback

   • Model learning from mistakes

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Join Us on This Journey

This exploration of topics in early childhood goes beyond the NABU team; it's for anyone with a deep interest in development, education, technology, and media. Whether you're a donor, educator, partner, or practitioner, there’s valuable insight here for you. Together, we can collaborate, learn, and make a lasting impact.

Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. I’m excited to continue this exploration with you.

Tanyella Allison Leta

Glossary

Fixed mindset definition: The belief that intelligence is innate and cannot be changed. (HPL, 3.1.4)

Growth mindset definition: The belief that level of intelligence is altered based on effort and experience. (HPL, 3.1.4)