Neuroscience backs this up in a big way. Your brain has something called neuroplasticity, which is just a fancy word for your brain’s ability to change its wiring. Think of your brain like a city full of roads. Every time you learn a new skill, tackle a tough problem, or keep going after a failure, you’re building a new road or repaving an old one so it works better.

When you practice something repeatedly—whether it’s playing guitar, coding, speaking a new language, or even learning to manage your emotions—you’re strengthening those mental roads. At first, the path might be bumpy and full of potholes, but with each repetition, it becomes smoother and faster to travel.

Here’s where mindset comes in:

• Fixed mindset thinking is like deciding not to explore beyond the same few streets you already know. You tell yourself, “These roads are enough”, so you never build new ones. Over time, those unused roads get overgrown and hard to use.

• Growth mindset thinking is like constantly exploring new neighborhoods and upgrading the city map. Even if the road is rough at first, you keep working on it until it’s a smooth highway—and suddenly, you’ve got way more routes to reach your goals.

The science is clear: when you challenge yourself, your brain literally rewires to handle more. Avoiding challenges shuts down that process, while embracing them keeps your brain adaptable, creative, and ready for the next level.

What a Fixed Mindset Looks Like in Real Life

A fixed mindset doesn’t always look like giving up. Sometimes it’s subtle:

• Avoiding things you’re not already good at.

• Taking feedback as a personal insult.

• Comparing yourself to others and hoping they mess up so you feel better.

• Saying “I’m just not creative” or “I’ve never been good at sports” like it’s an unchangeable fact.

Analogy: Imagine having a smartphone but refusing to update the apps because you’re afraid the update might “break” something. Sure, it works for a while, but eventually, you’re missing out on all the new features and your phone starts lagging.

What a Growth Mindset Looks Like in Real Life

People with a growth mindset still fail, still get frustrated, and still doubt themselves sometimes—they just see those moments as training. It might look like:

• Trying something new even if you’re terrible at it at first.

• Watching someone else succeed and thinking, “What can I learn from them?” instead of “I’ll never be that good.”

• Asking for feedback even when it’s uncomfortable.

• Treating mistakes as data for the next attempt.

Analogy: Think of it like playing a video game in free exploration mode. You can try different strategies, make mistakes without losing the whole game, and discover skills you didn’t know you had.

One of the most important truths behind the growth mindset is this: very few things are actually “impossible” for you. Most things you think you can’t do are just things you haven’t trained for yet.

Take marathons, for example. I always say, “There’s no way in heck I could just run a full or even a half marathon!” And you know what? That’s true—right now. If I laced up my sneakers and tried to run 13 or 26 miles today, I’d be winded and probably crawling home before I even made it halfway.

But here’s the catch: if I truly trained for it—built up my endurance, learned pacing strategies, followed a structured plan, and stayed consistent—eventually, I could cross that finish line. Not because I suddenly “became” a runner overnight, but because consistent effort changes what your body and mind are capable of.

Analogy: It’s like leveling up in a video game. You can’t beat the final boss on Day 1 with starter gear, but if you keep showing up, collecting XP, and upgrading your tools, you’ll eventually have everything you need to win.

This is true for nearly anything—playing an instrument, public speaking, coding, painting, cooking a five-course meal. Talent might give some people a head start, but skill is built through reps, not wishes. Every expert you admire started as a beginner who decided to keep going.

The real question isn’t “Could I do this?”—it’s “Am I willing to train for it?”

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Mindset

Your mindset doesn’t just reflect your abilities—it shapes them.

Here’s how the loop works:

1. Belief: You believe you’re either capable or you’re not.

2. Action: That belief drives what you’re willing to try (or not try).

3. Result: Your effort (or lack of effort) creates the outcome.

4. Proof: That outcome reinforces your original belief.

Example:

• Fixed mindset: “I’m terrible at public speaking.” → You avoid presenting. → You never get practice. → When you do have to speak, you’re shaky. → “See? I knew I was bad at this.”

• Growth mindset: “I’m not great at public speaking…yet.” → You volunteer for a short talk. → You learn from the nerves. → You’re slightly better next time. → “Okay, I’m improving.”

Analogy: Think of your mindset like the GPS in your car. If you set it to the wrong destination (“I can’t”), you’ll keep driving to the same place. If you update the address (“I can”), you open up entirely new routes.

Everyday Situations That Test Your Mindset

Your mindset isn’t just on display during big life events—it shows up in the little moments every day:

• Career: Do you pass on a job opportunity because you feel unqualified, or do you apply and treat it as a chance to grow?

• Fitness: Do you quit the gym after two weeks because you’re sore, or do you keep going knowing soreness is part of progress?

• Relationships: Do you avoid hard conversations, or do you push through discomfort to make things better?

• Creative Goals: Do you give up on a hobby after one failed attempt, or do you treat the “fail” as part of learning?

Analogy: Mindset is like Wi-Fi—it’s always on, even when you’re not actively thinking about it. The signal just gets stronger or weaker depending on what you’re plugged into.

The Role of Failure in a Growth Mindset

Here’s the thing about failure: it’s not the opposite of success—it’s part of the process that leads to it.

In a fixed mindset, failure feels like the end of the story. In a growth mindset, failure is just a messy middle chapter you have to write through before you get to the good part.

• Fixed: “I failed, so I’m bad at this.”

• Growth: “I failed, so now I know one way that doesn’t work.”

Analogy: Imagine learning to skateboard. You will fall—probably a lot. The only way to actually get better is to keep getting back on the board, even with scraped knees.

Shifting from Fixed to Growth: Step-by-Step

Changing your mindset isn’t about forcing yourself to be positive—it’s about practicing new mental habits until they stick. Here’s how to start:

• Add “yet” to your vocabulary.

  • “I can’t do this” → “I can’t do this yet.”

• Swap proving for improving.

  • Focus on learning, not looking perfect.

• Treat feedback like a GPS.

  • It’s showing you how to get there faster, not criticizing your driving.

• Normalize failing forward.

  • Each mistake is a test run for what works.

• Change your environment.

Signs You’re Quietly Growing (Even If You Don’t Feel It Yet)

Progress isn’t always loud or obvious. In fact, most growth happens so gradually that you don’t notice it until you look back. The problem is, if you’re only looking for big, dramatic changes, you might convince yourself you’re stuck when you’re actually moving forward.

Here are a few subtle signs you’re growing:

• You bounce back from setbacks faster than you used to.

• Situations that once overwhelmed you now feel manageable.

• You hesitate less before taking on new challenges.

• You’re asking for feedback more often instead of avoiding it.

• You’re starting to enjoy the process, not just the end result.

• You’ve stopped needing immediate perfection before you try something.

These quiet shifts are the building blocks of long-term change. If you can recognize them, you’ll stay motivated even when the “big win” hasn’t arrived yet.

The Long Game: Why Patience Is Non-Negotiable

A growth mindset isn’t about quick wins—it’s about stacking small actions over time until they add up to something big. The challenge is that we live in a world wired for instant gratification. We want the promotion after two months, the toned body after three workouts, and the fluent Spanish after one Duolingo streak.

But real growth works differently. It’s often invisible in the early stages because your foundation is still being built. This is where most people quit—not because they can’t succeed, but because they can’t see progress yet.

The truth is, the most impressive results often show up months or even years after you start. That’s why patience isn’t optional—it’s the fuel that keeps you consistent when the results aren’t obvious.

With a growth mindset, you understand that progress compounds. Every rep, every try, every adjustment is an investment that builds over time. You don’t have to see the finish line to keep running—you just need to know you’re moving in the right direction.

Your Mindset Is Not Set in Stone

Here’s the truth—having a fixed mindset is completely normal. Everyone has areas where they feel stuck or believe they’ve hit their limit. You might be growth-minded when it comes to your career but fixed when it comes to fitness, or vice versa. It’s part of being human.

The key is realizing that a fixed mindset isn’t permanent. Just because you think a certain way now doesn’t mean you have to think that way forever. Mindsets can shift the same way skills do—through awareness, intentional effort, and consistent practice.

Changing your mindset doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll still have moments where the old voice shows up telling you “You can’t” or “You’re just not that type of person.” The difference is, with a growth mindset, you learn to catch that voice, question it, and replace it with something that keeps you moving forward.

So if you see yourself in the fixed mindset examples we’ve talked about, don’t treat it like a flaw. Treat it like a starting point. You have the power to rewire your brain, expand your abilities, and build new “roads” toward the life you want.

Your mindset isn’t a life sentence—it’s a choice you can make again and again.