If you’re into self-development, you’ve probably heard of a growth mindset. But you probably haven’t heard that a growth mindset can accelerate your health and fitness goals.
What is a Growth Mindset?
According to Carol Dweck, a leading researcher on the subject, “growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.” [2]
In other words, it’s the idea that you can change and improve your skills through focus and hard-work.
Why is a Growth Mindset Important?
In a recent Huberman Lab podcast, hosted by associate professor of neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, Andrew Huberman delved into the science of a growth mindset. [1]
In the episode, he discussed recent studies on a growth mindset. In one study, researchers tested kids in a learning environment.
They found that kids praised for effort performed better than kids praised for intelligence or natural ability. In addition, the kids praised for effort, when given the choice, chose to take on more challenging problems than the ladder.
This shows the power in the belief that you will be rewarded for effort instead of traits that you already possess.
How to Apply a Growth Mindset to Exercise
A growth mindset is very effective in the exercise realm. It can help you improve your strength, flexibility/mobility, cardiovascular endurance, agility, speed, explosiveness, and more.
The issue is, many people have fixed beliefs about their abilities. They say things like, “I’ve always been slow”, or “I’ve never been able to put on weight”.
These beliefs limit your motivation to improve and lower your probability of taking effective action.
Ask yourself:
- What fixed beliefs do I have about my exercise ability?
- What areas can I improve in with focused effort?
- What areas of my fitness have I been able to make great strides in?
By asking yourself questions like these, you can root out fixed beliefs and replace them with growth mindset.
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