A growth mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through effort, practice, and learning — rather than being fixed traits you’re born with.

The term was popularised by psychologist Carol Dweck, who contrasted it with a fixed mindset, where people believe their abilities are innate and unchangeable.

Key aspects of a growth mindset:

• Embracing challenges: Seeing them as opportunities to learn rather than threats.
• Persistence: Sticking with tasks despite setbacks, understanding that failure is part of growth.
• Effort as a path to mastery: Recognizing that hard work and practice lead to improvement.
• Learning from criticism: Using feedback constructively instead of taking it personally.
• Inspiration from others’ success: Viewing others’ achievements as motivation rather than competition.
• In short, a growth mindset helps people continually improve, adapt, and reach their potential.