What Is a Growth Mindset?
When you start something new, you might believe that your ability to succeed depends mostly on how “smart” you already are. But research shows that success is not fixed; it’s something you can build by developing new habits, strategies, and skills.
growth vs. fixed mindset
The belief that you can grow and improve through effort is called a growth mindset. In contrast, a fixed mindset is the belief that your intelligence, talent, or ability is set in stone—you either “have it” or you don’t.
Students with a growth mindset are more likely to:
- Stick with challenges even when they feel frustrating.
- Look for better strategies instead of giving up.
- See mistakes as part of the learning process rather than a sign of failure.
Let’s take a look at what the growth and fixed mindsets look like in practice:
| Situation | Fixed Mindset Response | Growth Mindset Response |
|---|---|---|
| You fail your math quiz. | “I’m just bad at math. I’ll never get it.” | “I didn’t do well this time. I need to find new study methods or get help.” |
| You struggle to finish an essay. | “I’m not a good writer, so there’s no point.” | “Writing is tough, but I can improve if I practice and get feedback.” |
| You don’t get the internship you applied for. | “I’m not good enough. Why even try next time?” | “This experience showed me what I can work on for future interviews.” |
The bottom line is, if you believe you can grow, you’re more willing to try new strategies—and that’s exactly what leads to success.
Now that you know success is about what you do, not just what you know, you’re ready to start exploring specific strategies that will help you thrive in college!
Strategies to Achieve Success
We’ve talked already about common misconceptions about not being “smart enough” for college. Some students suffer from imposter syndrome, or a feeling that they are impostors and don’t belong in college. Impostor syndrome is real and challenging.
You can view the transcript for “What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it? – Elizabeth Cox” here (opens in new window).
Instead of worrying about whether you are smart enough or belong in college, you might focus on some concrete strategies you can employ to increase your success in college. We suggest you embrace and master the following eight strategies:
- Learn how to take effective notes in class. Instead of writing everything your instructor says, take short-hand notes on main concepts or specific explanations that helped you understand the concepts you are learning.
- Review the text and your reading notes prior to class. This type of preparation will help you retain the information better when it is presented again in class.
- Participate in class discussions. Hearing others’ perspectives and explanations can help you build your understanding of class concepts.
- Go to office hours and ask your instructor questions. Your instructors set aside this time specifically to help students in their classes, and they are more than willing to help when you need extra support.
- Give yourself enough time to research, write, and edit your essays in manageable stages. Breaking your assignments into smaller chunks helps you avoid procrastination and last-minute stress.
- Take advantage of online or on-campus academic support resources. For example, tutoring is generally free in college, and the strategies and knowledge you gain will be invaluable.
- Join a study group or find a study buddy. This gives you a chance to ask questions and talk about concepts with others, broadening your understanding.
- Create a regular study schedule and allow yourself ample study time. Most college success experts agree that students should study two hours outside of class for every hour in class. Only break away from your committed schedule if an extreme situation prevents you from sticking to it.
If you find yourself worrying about succeeding in college, ask yourself instead if you can implement or improve your use of some of these strategies.
Overall, students struggle in college not because of natural intellect or smarts, but because of poor time management, disorganization, and lack of quality study time. The good news is that there are ways to combat this, specifically by using strategies like those listed above, and reaching out for support when needed.