Is Your Mindset Built for Growth—or Stuck in Place?

Growth vs. Fixed Mindset

Psychologist Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking research revealed two powerful ways we view our abilities:

• Fixed Mindset: Believing that intelligence, talent, or ability is set in stone. Challenges feel threatening, feedback feels personal, and failure feels final.

• Growth Mindset: Believing that abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and resilience. Challenges are opportunities, feedback fuels improvement, and failure is a stepping stone.

The Mindset Test: Where Do You Stand?

Take a moment to reflect—both personally and professionally. Ask yourself:

• Do I avoid challenges, or do I view them as opportunities?

• Do I resist feedback, or do I embrace it constructively?

• Do I focus only on proving myself, or on the process of learning?

• Do I feel threatened by others’ success, or inspired by it?

• Do I fear mistakes, or learn and grow from them?

• Do I stay in my comfort zone, or step into unfamiliar territory?

• Do I believe talent is fixed, or that it can always improve?

Your answers aren’t about labeling yourself—they’re about awareness. Once you know where you lean, you can start shifting your mindset toward growth in the moments that matter most.

Why Testing Your Mindset Matters

It’s easy to say we embrace growth, but our reactions under pressure tell the real story. Testing your mindset means catching those “fixed” thoughts (“I’ll never be good at this”) and intentionally reframing them to growth-based ones (“I can learn this with practice”).

Practical Ways to Strengthen a Growth Mindset

1. Pause in the Storm – Notice your self-talk when challenges arise.

2. Reframe Failure – Replace “Why did I fail?” with “What can this teach me?”

3. Seek Stretch Goals – Growth happens at the edge of comfort.

4. Invite Feedback – Treat it as a gift, not a judgment.

The Bottom Line

Your mindset is the lens through which you face life’s storms. A fixed mindset keeps you rooted in fear and limitation, while a growth mindset helps you stand firm, adapt, and move forward with strength.

So here’s your challenge this week: Take the test. Notice where fixed thoughts show up, and choose growth instead. Because when you shift your mindset, you don’t just weather the storm—you grow stronger because of it.

If you enjoyed this, please share with your family, network, or friends:  https://us3.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=86edccdafe3d668490ec04501&id=e2d8cebd29&e=__test_email__

Remember, self-care is not a luxury.  It is a leadership strategy.

Your well-being matters,

Dr. T

Founding President
Movement Rx
SDVOSB  |  WOSB
theresa.larson@movement-rx.com