Growth Mindset Is the Key to Learning

In life, we continuously learn and grow. We learn new skills and we acquire new knowledge. We discover new things for ourselves. Learning is a never-ending process.

When learning a skill — any skill for that matter — you start at ground zero and gradually work your way up. As you learn more and more about your skill, you come to realize how much you knew initially and how much you know now. This self-realization is a validation that you’ve progressed in the area you are learning.

Learning a new skill takes time and commitment. And the more you learn, the more you realize how much you still don’t know. And as you gain more knowledge in any area, you want to learn even more.

For example, as a writer, the more I learn about my craft, the more I realize how much I still don’t know. Learning more fuels my desire to learn even more.

It’s ironic, but the mere knowledge of knowing what you don’t know means you’re learning. Why? Because if you thought you’ve learned everything there is to learn about anything, then you’re done learning. What else can you learn after all?

Learning is a self-perpetual process that never stops. Life is all about learning. You never stop learning until you die.

Growth mindset versus fixed mindset

If you adopt a growth mindset, not only will you continually learn and grow, but you’ll also realize that learning is a process. It’s a process with many ups and downs, successes and failures. You fail at something once, you try again and you do better. This rule applies to everything in life. Accepting the fact that there will always be room for growth means you’re opening yourself up for learning.

Do you know what’s holding people back from achieving their dreams and reaching success in life? It’s their fixed mindset. When you approach learning with a fixed mindset, then you limit your mind to what is possible in a learning sphere.

If you have a fixed mindset, you’ll believe that you’re born with a particular set of skills, talent, and abilities. And you’ll think that no matter how much effort you put into learning you’ll never reach the desired level. Within your mind, you’ll create that invisible barrier that will make learning hard.

The self-limiting beliefs you impose on yourself are what will stop you from learning and achieving your true potential. For instance, typical reasoning for someone with a fixed mindset is that they think if they aren’t good at something they will never be good at it. And that’s flawed thinking.

Science has shown over and over again, the more you practice a skill, no matter what it is, the better you’ll get. Even if you work on an area that you’ve previously struggled with, if you keep at it consistently you’ll naturally improve. And what it comes down to is how much time and effort you are willing to put into a skill, how committed you are, and the level of patience you have. All these factors tie into how much you can improve overall.

If you’re a creative professional, for example, it’s important to approach your work with a growth mindset. This means you won’t do the following:

• Give up easily
• Feel discouraged by other people’s success
• Ignore constructive criticism
• Be afraid of challenges and learning new things

As you can see, pursuing any creative work requires a lot of determination, patience, and grit. And it all starts with your mindset. Your mindset plays a crucial role in shaping you as a person and as a creative person who is willing to accept any challenges that come your way.

Believe in yourself

Do you know what sets people with the growth mindset apart from those with a fixed mindset? Their unquenching belief in themselves. They believe in their abilities, they believe in their willpower, and they believe in their perseverance. They won’t give up in face of obstacles — in fact, obstacles will fuel their desire to improve.

And many times, believe it or not, they outperform those with a fixed mindset who aren’t as intelligent. Why? Because they use challenges as a stepping stone to success. Obstacles and challenges inspire them to persevere. They know too well if they fail at something today, they’ll win tomorrow. And if they get too many arrows shooting at their back too many times, they’ll put a shield around themselves to avoid the next arrow coming their way.

A growth mindset is a fair advantage. You too can adopt a growth mindset and open up your mind to an unlimited number of possibilities.

The takeaway

In life, you constantly learn and grow. It’s okay not to know everything there is to learn as learning is a continuous process.

If you wish to grow and improve in any skill, you need to adopt a growth mindset. By adopting the growth mindset, you will be more open to learning. If you believe that there is room for growth, you’ll stay on your path and not give up when facing obstacles. Having an open mind is essential to learning, and so is believing that you can learn and grow.