Growth Mindset & Health

I have written a few times about the benefits of having a growth mindset, but I wanted to take a moment and share some of the health benefits associated with this type of thinking. As a reminder people who fall into the growth mindset category believe that their capabilities are changeable and that through effort and practice they can improve performance. The opposite mindset, known as the fixed mindset, is associated with the belief that traits are permanent.

A 2014 study involving 158 9th Grade students assessed for mindset and tracked the students over the course of an academic year. The results showed a correlation between strength of growth mindset and

- less stress,
- lower anxiety
- feeling better about themselves
- better physical health