Think You Can, or Think You Can’t? The Power of Growth Mindset
Author: Kimberly Tierney, Director of Academic Coaching
Read time: 4 minutes
This content was aided by the OpenAI language model Assistant. Learn more at https://openai.com/.
When you start a tough class, a new job, or even a challenging project, what you think about your ability to succeed can shape the outcome more than you realize. Henry Ford famously said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right."
Psychologist Carol Dweck calls this a growth mindset, the belief that intelligence and ability can be developed through effort, feedback, and persistence. In contrast, a fixed mindset assumes our talents and skills are set in stone: you either “have it” or you don’t.
The problem with a fixed mindset is that it shuts the door before you’ve even tried to open it. If you go into a situation believing you can’t succeed, you’re less likely to engage, practice, or seek help, essentially guaranteeing the outcome you fear.
Why Growth Mindset Matters
College challenges everyone differently. You might encounter your first low grade, an unexpectedly hard lab, or material that doesn’t “click” right away. A growth mindset helps you see these experiences not as signs of failure but as opportunities to grow new skills. College is not supposed to be easy!
When students believe their effort matters, they engage more deeply, take feedback more constructively, and are more resilient when things get tough.
It’s the difference between saying:
“I’m bad at math.” → “I’m still learning how to think like a mathematician.”
“I’ll never get this.” → “I don’t get it yet.”
That small shift in language keeps your brain open to possibility, and your confidence intact.
Keep Perspective: The Positivity Ratio
Staying optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring challenges; it means keeping them in perspective. Research suggests that maintaining roughly a 3:1 positivity ratio—three positive thoughts or experiences for every negative one, supports motivation and emotional health.
That might look like:
Reminding yourself of what is going well.
Noticing small improvements instead of just big wins.
Talking to yourself like you would to a friend who’s struggling.
The goal isn’t to be relentlessly positive; it’s to balance out the brain’s natural tendency to focus on what’s wrong. You talk to yourself more than anyone else talks to you, what you say/think matters!
Building a Mindset for Growth
A growth mindset is something you practice, not something you have or don’t have. Start small:
Challenge your self-talk. When you hear “I can’t,” add “yet.” When you hear “I have to do ___”, think “I get to do ___.” The only things you have to do are take in nutrients and expel waste, everything else is optional.
Reflect on past progress. Anxiety is great at erasing memories of success, write them down.
Seek feedback and use it. Feedback isn’t criticism; it’s information that helps you improve.
Celebrate effort, not just outcomes. Every attempt counts as a step toward mastery.
When you believe you can grow, you start to show up differently. You study differently. You recover differently. And eventually, you surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.
