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What Is a Growth Mindset?
The one thing all books on learning agree on is the value of adopting a growth mindset.
What is a growth mindset? A growth mindset rejects the claim that abilities are innate and largely fixed. Instead, as Carol Dweck explains in her eponymous book, a growth mindset is the belief that all abilities are trainable. That nothing is fixed. That we can change everything from intelligence to creativity to athleticism (and even our characters) through persistent and adaptive effort.
Why is such a simple idea so important? Because, as Matthew Syed reminds us, “the path to excellence could not be more difficult. It is steep, gruelling, and arduous. It is inordinately lengthy. And, most importantly of all, it forces voyagers to stumble and fall on every single stretch of the journey.” All of us may travel this path. But doing so demands more than just expecting failure. It demands we embrace it. Excellence demands nothing less than a growth mindset.
You’ll find many growth mindset quotes to remind you of this truth. The 21 below are among my favourite. I chose them because they remind me to get started, embrace failure, persevere and never stop taking action. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Good luck and remember, “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth.
My TOP 46 Growth Mindset Quotes
These growth mindset quotes come from The Art of Living's growing central library of thoughts, anecdotes, notes, and inspirational quotes.
Here are my top 46 growth mindset quotes of all time...
1. "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says “I’m possible!”" - Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian, recognised as both a film and fashion icon.
This quote reminds us that "impossible" is just a label for things we just don't know how to do yet.
Related Posts:2. "It is hard to fail. But it is worse never to have tried to succeed." - Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt overcame was a sickly childhood to embrace a famously active lifestyle and the 26th presidency of the United States.
This growth mindset quote is one of many (including one of my favourite passages of all time) that captures his proactive approach to adversity.
Related Posts:3. "I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." - Michael Jordan
"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."
- Michael JordanMichael Jordan is the NBA’s “greatest basketball player of all time”.
A master of learning from every mistake, his growth-oriented attitude to failure was immortalised in the legendary "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career" Nike commercial.
Related Posts:4. "Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak, carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." - Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time.
Related Posts:5. "A quitter never wins and a winner never quits." - Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time.
Related Posts:
Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time.
Related Posts:7. "When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal." - Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the 10 best-selling self-help books of all time.
Related Posts:8. "If you don't give anything don't expect anything. Success is not coming to you. You must come to it." - Marva Collins
Marva Collins was an American educator best known for founding Westside Preparatory School.
This quote is a reminder that the only person responsible for your life is you. If you want to succeed, apply yourself.
Related Posts:9. "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman established the first industrial research laboratory and whose many inventions (including early versions of the lightbulb) had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world.
This quote reminds us that the alternative to a growth mindset - if we don't trust the process - is giving up. And giving up is a sure path to missing out on success.
Related Posts:10. "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War (and again from 1951 to 1955) as well as being a Nobel Prize-winning writer and historian, a prolific painter, and one of the longest-serving politicians in British history.
This quote reminds us that the easiest way to trust the process is to ENJOY it. Instead of "I HAVE to trust the process", think "I get to trust the process" and you'll find it much easier to feel grateful for the journey.
Related Posts:11. "The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." - Norman Vincent Peale
"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism."
- Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive ThinkingNorman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author best known for his writing on positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking.
Related Posts:12. "The middle of every successful project looks like a disaster." - David Allen
David Allen is an American productivity consultant best known for the creation of a time management method called "Getting Things Done".
Related Posts:13. "You have virtually unlimited potential to be, have, or do anything you really want in life if you simply want it badly enough and are willing to work long enough and hard enough to achieve it." - Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy is a Canadian-American motivational public speaker and self-development author who has written more than eighty self help books.
Related Posts:14. "The formula for success is quite simple: Double your rate of failure." - Jeff Olson
"The formula for success is quite simple: Double your rate of failure."
- Jeff Olson, The Slight EdgeJeff Olson is an American sales trainer, entrepreneur and best-selling author and motivational speaker best known for his book The Slight Edge.
Related Posts:15. "Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." - Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time.
This quote reminds us that the obstacle IS the way. The process of becoming great is filled with failures and mistakes. Those ARE the process. So trust in them and rest assured that every mishap is a stepping stone towards success.
Related Posts:16. "Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit." - Molière
Molière was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world literature.
This quote reminds us that the process is what makes the destination possible. If you rush it (instead of trusting it) you may get "there" faster. But you might miss the best parts in the process.
Related Posts:17. "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all." - Michelangelo
"If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all."
- MichelangeloMichelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance and is often considered a contender for the title of the archetypal Renaissance man, along with his rival, Leonardo da Vinci.
This quote reminds us that the most talented and successful humans that ever lived ALSO had to trust the process. They had to work at their craft every day. They had to make every mistake they could make. And only then could they approach the doorway to mastery.
Related Posts:18. "Get it 80 percent right and then correct it later. Run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. Don’t expect perfection the first time or even the first few times. Be prepared to fail over and over before you get it right." - Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy is a Canadian-American motivational public speaker and self-development author who has written more than eighty self help books.
Related Posts:19. "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take." - Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, former head coach and he has been called the greatest hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players and the NHL itself.
Related Posts:20. "Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic who is considered to be the greatest German literary figure of the modern era.
Related Posts:21. "Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life." - William H. McRaven
William H. McRaven (born November 6, 1955) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and is the author of several books (see e.g., Make Your Bed).
Related Posts:22. "We are often so worried about failure that we create vague goals, so that nobody can point the finger when we don’t achieve them. We come up with face-saving excuses, even before we have attempted anything." - Matthew Syed
Matthew Syed is a British former table tennis player, journalist, broadcaster and author best known for competeing in two Olympic Games (1992 and 2000) and his best-selling books (e.g., Black Box Thinking).
Related Posts:23. "If we drop out when we hit problems, progress is scuppered, no matter how talented we are. If we interpret difficulties as indictments of who we are, rather than as pathways to progress, we will run a mile from failure." - Matthew Syed
Matthew Syed is a British former table tennis player, journalist, broadcaster and author best known for competeing in two Olympic Games (1992 and 2000) and his best-selling books (e.g., Black Box Thinking).
Related Posts:24. "If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed." - Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180, a Stoic philosopher and the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors.
Related Posts:25. "The reason that most people don’t possess these extraordinary physical capabilities isn’t because they don’t have the capacity for them, but rather because they’re satisfied to live in the comfortable rut of homeostasis and never do the work that is required to get out of it. They live in the world of “good enough.”" - Anders Ericsson
Anders Ericsson (October, 23, 1947 – June 17, 2020) was a Swedish psychologist and Professor of Psychology known for his research into and books about (e.g., ?Peak) the nature of expertise and human performance.
Related Posts:26. "If you never push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you will never improve." - Anders Ericsson
"If you never push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you will never improve."
- Anders Ericsson, PeakAnders Ericsson (October, 23, 1947 – June 17, 2020) was a Swedish psychologist and Professor of Psychology known for his research into and books about (e.g., ?Peak) the nature of expertise and human performance.
Related Posts:27. "Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good." - Malcolm Gladwell
"Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good."
- Malcolm Gladwell, OutliersMalcolm Gladwell is an English-born Canadian journalist, best-selling author, and public speaker whose writing often deals with the unexpected implications of research in the social sciences (see e.g., Outliers)
Related Posts:28. "A person's success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss is an American entrepreneur, investor, author, podcaster, and lifestyle guru who became well-known through his "4-Hour" self-help book series beginning with the The 4 Hour Workweek.
Related Posts:29. "If you are satisfied with the results you are now getting, why change? If you are not satisfied, why not experiment?" - Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer and a developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.
Related Posts:30. "Any action is often better than no action, especially if you have been stuck in an unhappy situation for a long time. If it is a mistake, at least you learn something, in which case it's no longer a mistake. If you remain stuck, you learn nothing." - Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle (born February 16, 1948) is a German-born spiritual teacher and self-help author who is is best known for his bestselling books The Power of Now and A New Earth.
Related Posts:31. "Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, you’ll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up." - David Goggins
David Goggins is an American ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete, public speaker, and author - best known for his memoir Can't Hurt Me.
Related Posts:32. "Success is a poor teacher... We learn the most about ourselves when we fail, so don’t be afraid of failing. Failing is part of the process of success. You can’t have success without failure." - Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author best known for his internationally bestselling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Related Posts:33. "The reason so many people fail to achieve success is because they fail to fail enough times." - Robert Kiyosaki
"The reason so many people fail to achieve success is because they fail to fail enough times."
- Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad's Cashflow QuadrantRobert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author best known for his internationally bestselling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Related Posts:34. "Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn… We learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk." - Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author best known for his internationally bestselling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Related Posts:35. "Failure inspires winners. And failure defeats losers. It is the biggest secret of winners. It’s the secret that losers do not know. The greatest secret of winners is that failure inspires winning; thus, they’re not afraid of losing." - Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author best known for his internationally bestselling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.
Related Posts:36. "An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field." - Niels Bohr
"An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field."
- Niels BohrNiels Bohr was a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922.
This quote reminds us that frustrations and making mistakes are both PART of the process. The twists and turns on the road to success are MEANT to be there. Trust the process. Ride them out. You'll get where you're going in the end.
Related Posts:37. "Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." - Pelé
Pelé is a Brazilian former professional footballer regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA. He was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century.
This quote reminds us that the most talented people on the planet didn't rush the process or find shortcuts you're not aware of. They put in the hours of hard work. They worked harder than anyone else. They trusted the process that led them to eventual success.
Related Posts:38. "If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy." - T. Harv Eker
T. Harv Eker (born June 10, 1954) is an author, businessman and motivational speaker known for his theories on wealth and motivation and his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.
Related Posts:39. "Every master was once a disaster." - T. Harv Eker
T. Harv Eker (born June 10, 1954) is an author, businessman and motivational speaker known for his theories on wealth and motivation and his book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.
Related Posts:40. "For every reason it’s not possible, there are hundreds of people who have faced the same circumstances and succeeded." - Jack Canfield
Jack Canfield is an American author, motivational speaker,[3] corporate trainer, and entrepreneur. He is the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which has more than 250 titles and 500 million copies in print in over 40 languages.
Related Posts:41. "It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up." - Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi was an American football coach best known for leading the Green Pay Packers to three straight and five total NFL Championships in seven years, in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1966 and 1967 NFL seasons.
Related Posts:42. "Go on in the certain way, and if you do not receive that thing, you will receive something so much better that you will see that the seeming failure was really a great success." - Wallace D. Wattles
Wallace D. Wattles was an American New Thought writer whose writing has been widely quoted and remains in print in the New Thought and self-help movements.
Related Posts:43. "Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it." - Viktor E. Frankl
Viktor E. Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor best known for his book Man's Search for Meaning.
Related Posts:44. "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." - Paulo Coelho
"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."
- Paulo Coelho, The AlchemistPaulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist whose novel, The Alchemist, has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide and is the all-time best-selling book by a Brazilian writer.
Related Posts:45. "The secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times." - Paulo Coelho
"The secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times."
- Paulo Coelho, The AlchemistPaulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist whose novel, The Alchemist, has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide and is the all-time best-selling book by a Brazilian writer.
Related Posts:46. "Every event has a purpose and every setback its lesson. I have realized that failure, whether of the personal, professional or even spiritual kind, is essential to personal expansion. It brings inner growth and a whole host of psychic rewards. Never regret your past. Rather, embrace it as the teacher that it is." - Robin Sharma
Robin Sharma is a Canadian writer, best known for his The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari book series.
Related Posts:Growth Mindset Quotes FAQs
What Is a Growth Mindset Motto?
A growth mindset motto is a little phrase that you might keep written down or repeat like an aphorism to remind you to avoid a fixed mindset. It could be something like "It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up" (Babe Ruth) or "There's no such thing as failure, only results" (Tony Robbins) or any of the other great quotes on this list of top growth mindset quotes.
What Are Some Growth Mindset Quotes?
Examples of growth mindset quotes include, "It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up" (Babe Ruth), "There's no such thing as failure, only results" (Tony Robbins) or "Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance" (Samuel Johnson). For more, check out this list of the best growth mindset quotes of all time.
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