123 Affirmations For Growth Mindset and Success
I have put together a comprehensive list of affirmations for growth mindset so that you can start your day the right way.
As a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I know how important it is for my clients to develop a growth mindset during their healing journey.
In this post, I will go over the meaning and science behind developing a growth mindset and then provide a list of 123 affirmations broken down into 6 different components.
This should help you pick and choose relevant affirmations quickly and easily.
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What does it mean to have a growth mindset?
You’ve probably heard a lot about the benefits of developing a growth mindset since every productivity guru talks about it.
But what actually is a growth mindset and how can you develop it realistically?
Psychologist Carol Dweck popularised the concept of a growth mindset.
She believed that the way you see yourself and the beliefs you hold about yourself affect the way you live your life.
If you believe your abilities and intelligence are fixed then you won’t take the initiative to grow and develop them.
Whereas, if you believe there is always room for improvement then you will find ways to grow and develop your abilities through dedication and hard work – that is called having a growth mindset.
There are 6 main components when it comes to understanding the growth mindset:
- Belief in development and change: this is the idea that intelligence, talents and abilities can be developed with effort, learning and perseverance. For example, believing that you can still learn something new no matter what age you are
- Embracing challenges: viewing challenges as opportunities for growth rather than a threat to your success/abilities. For example, taking on difficult projects at work and stepping out of your comfort zone
- Effort as a path to mastery: recognising the power of effort and hard work when it comes to achieving positive outcomes. For example, breaking down a task into smaller sections and creating a realistic schedule to tackle each part
- Learning from criticism: using feedback and constructive feedback as tools to help you learn and improve a skill. For example, asking your manager for honest feedback on a piece of work you have submitted.
- Persistence in the face of setbacks: having the desire to keep going and pushing forward despite obstacles in the way. For example, staying focused on your long-term goals and not crumbling at a temporary problem
- Inspiration from others: using other people’s success stories as motivation and inspiration to keep going on your journey. For example, feeling inspired by your coworker because they recently got a promotion.
As you can see, having a growth mindset is all about being flexible, adaptive, and focused on continuous improvement.
“We like to think of our champions and idols as superheroes who were born different from us. We don’t like to think of them as relatively ordinary people who made themselves extraordinary.”
– Carol Dweck
What’s the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset?
Having a growth mindset means you believe in your ability to develop and improve. You are the type of person who welcomes challenges, learns from feedback and sees the effort as ESSENTIAL for your success.
Whereas, having a fixed mindset means you believe that your abilities and intelligence are static and unchangeable. You are the type of person who avoids challenges, resents feedback and sees the effort as pointless.
Obviously, no one would like to admit to having a fixed mindset after seeing the definition laid out like that in front of them. However, many people do have fixed mindsets and even Carol Dweck highlighted that mindset is not an either/or concept.
You may have a fixed mindset in some areas of your life but a growth mindset in other areas.
I have created a whole blog post going over some of the most common growth mindset myths.
Examples of a fixed mindset vs growth mindset
In a fixed mindset, you might find yourself saying or thinking:
- I can’t do this, I’m just not good at it
- Feedback means I’m not good enough
- I failed which means I can’t do any better
Whereas if you have a growth mindset you might say or think:
- I can improve if I work a little harder
- Feedback means I can learn what I did wrong and make improvements
- I’m not a failure, I just made a mistake and will learn from it
“In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.”
– Carol Dweck
Do perfectionists have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?
This might surprise a lot of self-proclaimed perfectionists but the truth is many perfectionists have a fixed mindset which is what causes their perfectionism to negatively impact their lives.
Here are some reasons:
- Your fear of failure or mistakes keeps you stuck in your comfort zone and avoiding challenges
- You are highly focused on outcomes rather than the learning process. For example, many perfectionists have a goals-driven way of living their lives over a values-driven way which results in black and white thinking. Things are either great because they are on track or they’re absolutely terrible because they’re off track
- You struggle to accept criticism/feedback: you tie your self-worth to your career and achievements which means constructive feedback feels like a personal attack. You see it as a reflection of your abilities rather than an opportunity for growth
- You believe that you must be perfect to be worthy: you put so much pressure on yourself to make the right decision, say the right thing and be the ‘perfect’ person but you fail to realise perfection doesn’t exist. So you keep repeating cycles of go-go-go and burnout in an attempt to achieve your goals
How do affirmations help with developing a growth mindset?
There are a few different psychological theories and ideas that explain how affirmations can help you develop a growth mindset.
Here are a few theories/ideas:
- Challenges limiting beliefs: affirmations are a great way to counter your negative self-talk and fixed mindset beliefs. For example, instead of automatically believing ‘I am not good enough’, you can counter this belief with an affirmation that says ‘I am good enough’ and then provide evidence of times you have achieved your goals. Over time, you will start to build a positive self-concept and increase your self-efficacy.
- Develops grit and resilience: affirmations help you develop resilience because they help you reinforce the belief that you have the ability to overcome obstacles. You will also develop grit which is a phenomenon defined by Angela Duckworth as ‘passion and perseverance toward long-term goals’.
- Self-affirmation theory: according to the American Psychological Association (APA), self-affirmation theory is ‘the concept that people are motivated to maintain views of themselves as well adapted, moral, competent, stable, and able to control important outcomes’. Using affirmations regularly is a great way to help you develop a positive outlook on life and remind yourself of strengths and opportunities.
- Neural plasticity/brain rewiring: with the rise of scientific technology more research is being conducted on the link between growth mindset and neuroplasticity.
- According to Britannica neuroplasticity is the ‘capacity of neurons and neural networks in the brain to change their connections and behaviour in response to new information, sensory stimulation, development, damage, or dysfunction’.
- Affirmations can help reinforce positive thinking patterns and behaviours forming new neural connections in the brain. Over time, you will default to having a growth mindset in the face of challenges rather than a fixed mindset due to repeated affirmations.
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
– Nelson Mandela
123 positive affirmations for growth mindset:
I have created these journal prompts for each of the different components of having a growth mindset. Feel free to pick and choose a relevant journal prompt depending on your needs.
Belief in development and change
- I am capable of learning and growing every day
- My abilities can improve with effort and dedication
- I embrace challenges as opportunities to grow
- Every day, I become a better version of myself
- My potential is limitless with the right mindset
- I believe in my capacity to develop new skills
- I am always evolving and improving
- My growth is a continuous journey
- I can achieve anything I set my mind to with persistence.
- I am dedicated to lifelong learning and self-improvement.
- Mistakes are a natural part of my learning process.
- I am resilient and adaptable.
- I have the power to change my circumstances.
- Every effort I make brings me closer to my goals.
- I am patient with myself as I learn and grow.
- I am committed to my personal development.
- I am open to new ideas and perspectives.
- My mindset is my most powerful tool for growth.
- I am constantly improving and getting better.
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller
Embracing challenges
- I thrive in the face of challenges.
- Challenges are opportunities for me to grow stronger.
- I am not afraid to step out of my comfort zone.
- I embrace difficulties as a chance to learn.
- Every challenge I face helps me develop resilience.
- I am confident in my ability to overcome any obstacle.
- I see challenges as adventures that enrich my life.
- I welcome difficult situations as they help me grow.
- I am brave and face challenges head-on.
- I learn valuable lessons from every challenge I encounter.
- Challenges bring out the best in me.
- I am stronger than any challenge that comes my way.
- I use challenges to develop new skills and strengths.
- I am resourceful and find solutions to every problem.
- I view setbacks as setups for comebacks.
- I remain positive and proactive when faced with difficulties.
- I am grateful for the growth that challenges bring.
- I see the opportunity for growth in every challenging situation.
- I turn challenges into stepping stones for success.
- I trust in my ability to navigate challenges with grace.
- I remain calm and focused in the face of challenges.
- I embrace challenges as a natural part of my journey.
“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.”
– Oscar Wilde
Effort as a path to mastery
- I believe in the power of effort and dedication.
- Every effort I make moves me closer to my goals.
- I am committed to putting in the necessary work to succeed.
- My hard work pays off in amazing ways.
- I enjoy the process of working towards my goals.
- Effort is the key to unlocking my potential.
- I am persistent and never give up on my dreams.
- I am disciplined and focused in my efforts.
- Every step I take brings me closer to mastery.
- I celebrate my efforts as much as my achievements.
- I am patient and trust the process of hard work.
- I take pride in my work and my effort.
- I am willing to put in the effort required to achieve my dreams.
- My consistent effort leads to consistent results.
- My effort today builds the foundation for my success tomorrow.
- I am grateful for the opportunity to work towards my dreams.
- My hard work and effort are always rewarded.
- I am committed to giving my best effort in everything I do.
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
– Billie Jean King
Learning from criticism
- I welcome feedback as a tool for growth.
- Constructive criticism helps me improve.
- I see criticism as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- I handle criticism with grace and openness.
- Feedback helps me become the best version of myself.
- I am grateful for the lessons that criticism brings.
- I use criticism to refine and enhance my skills.
- I am open to learning from the perspectives of others.
- I am not afraid of criticism; it helps me grow stronger.
- I appreciate feedback and use it to improve.
- I embrace the opportunity to learn from my mistakes.
- I am resilient and grow through constructive feedback.
- I seek out feedback to continuously improve.
- I learn valuable lessons from every piece of criticism.
- I am open-minded and value the opinions of others.
- Constructive criticism makes me more capable and confident.
- I am strong enough to handle criticism and use it for good.
- I am humble and appreciate the growth that criticism brings.
- I turn criticism into actionable steps for improvement.
- I am proactive in seeking feedback for my growth.
- I grow stronger and wiser through constructive criticism.
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” –
Theodore Roosevelt
Persistence in the face of setbacks
- I am resilient and never give up.
- I am persistent and overcome any obstacle.
- Setbacks are temporary, and I am unstoppable.
- I stay focused and keep moving forward.
- My persistence leads to success.
- I am determined and committed to my goals.
- I am tenacious and never back down.
- I am stronger than any setback I face.
- I bounce back quickly and keep pushing forward.
- I am relentless in my pursuit of success.
- I learn and grow from every setback.
- I stay positive and persistent no matter what.
- I keep going, even when the going gets tough.
- I am courageous and face setbacks head-on.
- My persistence is my greatest strength.
- I turn setbacks into stepping stones for success.
- I am resilient and rise above any challenge.
- I am unstoppable and achieve my dreams.
- I am persistent and create my own success.
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
– Maya Angelou
Inspiration from others
- I am inspired by the success of others.
- I learn valuable lessons from others’ achievements.
- The success of others motivates me to succeed.
- I am grateful for the inspiration I find in others.
- I use others’ success as a guide for my own journey.
- I celebrate the achievements of those around me.
- I am uplifted by the success stories of others.
- I draw strength from the accomplishments of others.
- I see others’ success as a source of motivation.
- I am inspired by the perseverance of others.
- The success of others fuels my ambition.
- I learn and grow by observing others’ success.
- I am motivated by the achievements of those I admire.
- I see others’ success as proof of what is possible.
- I am inspired to achieve greatness by the stories of others.
- I celebrate the success of others and use it to motivate myself.
- I am driven by the accomplishments of those around me.
- I am inspired by the hard work and dedication of others.
- I use the success of others to set higher goals for myself.
- I am uplifted by the achievements of those I admire.
- I am motivated by the journey of others to achieve my own success.
- I am encouraged to pursue my dreams by the success of others.
- I see the success of others as a reflection of my own potential.
- I am inspired by the stories of those who have achieved their dreams.
How to embed affirmations into your daily routine
Now that you have a MASSIVE list of affirmations to choose from, the next step is to embed them into your daily routine.
Here are some things you can do to get the most impact
- Pick 3 affirmations from the list that resonate the most with you and make an effort to say them every single day
- Take your time to step into the identity of the person who already embodies those affirmations
- Visualise your ideal life: what do you see, hear, taste, touch and smell? Really make an effort to engage with all of your senses
- Tap into your emotions: what does the ideal version of you feel on a daily basis as you go through life? Think about where this feeling sits within your body
- Look at yourself in the mirror and say your chosen affirmations out loud
- Make sure the affirmations are forward-looking, specific, clear and in present tense e.g. ‘I embrace every opportunity to grow through feedback’
- Repetition and emotion are ESSENTIAL for making your affirmations work
- You can print off your affirmations and stick them around your house in locations where you will see them often e.g. on the mirror, by your desk and on your laptop screen.
- Turn your affirmations into daily intentions to further reinforce the message e.g. ‘Today, I will embrace every opportunity to grow through feedback’
- Write down your favourite affirmations in a collection in your bullet journal or add them to your notes app so you always have access to them whenever you feel lost or down
- Spend more time with people who speak life into you. People who will reinforce your affirmations and make you feel like you can do anything you put your mind to
What top 3 affirmations are you going to start using today?
I hope you found this blog post useful and feel motivated to start adding affirmations into your daily routine!
I’ve personally used affirmation to help me move forward whenever I have felt stuck in life. In order to get the most out of affirmations you need to use repetition, emotion and visualisation.
I managed to become the dream version of myself and build the life that I have always wanted by truly believing it was possible. I’d say affirmations every day and use them to step into the identity of the version of me that already had those things.
The crazy thing is, I used to roll my eyes whenever someone would talk about using daily affirmations. I thought it was just a silly gimmick that didn’t actually work but man was I wrong!
What 3 growth mindset affirmations are you going to use today to start your healing journey?
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