The Power of a Growth Mindset: A Daily Practice
As the start of school creeps back onto the calendar (yes, already), it’s a great time to reset the way we talk about learning, effort, and success. Whether your child is starting preschool or navigating their final year of high school, one skill that can make a major difference from day one is developing a growth mindset.
This isn’t just a trendy phrase—it’s the belief that abilities and intelligence can grow with time, effort, and persistence. And here’s the best part: it doesn’t take a fancy program or motivational posters to build it. With just a few small shifts in how we respond to challenges, we can help kids step into the new year with confidence, resilience, and a sense that mistakes don’t mean failure—they mean growth.
Let’s break it down.
Applied Hope Tip #1: Catch the “Can’t”—and Add a “Yet”
When kids believe that struggling means they’ve failed, they’re more likely to give up. But a tiny word—yet—can flip the script and remind them that learning is a process.
How to Do It for Different Ages:
Toddlers/Preschoolers: When they get frustrated (“I can’t do it!”), respond with: “It’s tricky right now, but every time you try, your brain gets stronger!”
School-age kids: When they say, “I’ll never be good at reading,” gently add, “You’re not there yet, but I’ve seen how hard you’re working—keep going!”
Teens: Connect it to a real example: “You used to say that about math last year, remember? Look how far you’ve come.” Or offer, “It’s not about being good right away. It’s about showing up and learning what works for you.”
Why It Works:
“Yet” helps kids reframe struggle as part of the journey—not a dead end. It reminds them that growth is possible, and that effort isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s the path forward.
Applied Hope Tip #2: Talk About Effort Like It’s the Main Event
We all love to celebrate success, but if we only cheer when kids “win,” they start to believe that outcomes matter more than effort. But real growth? It happens in the middle—in the trying, practicing, and problem-solving.
How to Do It for Different Ages:
Toddlers/Preschoolers: “You kept stacking those blocks even when they kept falling! That’s called not giving up.”
School-age kids: “I noticed how you kept working through those word problems, even when they were tricky. That effort matters way more than getting it right the first time.”
Teens: “You stayed late to finish your project and kept editing it until it felt right. That kind of persistence will take you further than talent ever could.”
Why It Works:
When kids are consistently praised for effort, strategy, and persistence, they start to believe those things matter. They begin to connect growth to the process—not perfection.
A Finishing Touch
Helping kids develop a growth mindset doesn’t mean they’ll suddenly love every challenge or smile through every mistake. But it does mean they’ll start to see hard things as part of the process—not a sign to stop.
So today, try it out: When a child in your life gets stuck, add a “yet.” Call out the effort, not just the win. Whether they’re learning to zip a coat, solve long division, or prep for finals—remind them: you grow every time you try.
Because when kids learn to believe in their ability to improve, they keep showing up—and that belief can change everything.