In yesterday’s post, I talked about combating the imposter syndrome in my writing journey. You can read it here.

Today, I attended a leadership meeting about the plans for next year, where we talked about how, as a leader, we should all have a growth mindset to lead into the future. It made me think about how having a growth mindset can make you a better writer. As a leader, we should embrace our creative learning, seek to expand our knowledge, take on new challenges, and model this for our people. We should take on these same principles to maximize our writing life.

WHAT IS A GROWTH MINDSET?

To define a growth mindset, we should first look at the word mindset. According to Webster’s dictionary, mindset is a mental attitude or inclination.’ It is your set of beliefs, assumptions, ideas that are formed by your experiences or world view.

Typically, you can have either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

A fixed mindset is limiting thinking. In essence, according to Stanford professor Carol Dweck, people with a fixed mindset believe that their qualities are fixed and cannot be changed. They believe that they have it or they don’t. You are good or bad at something, and there is nothing you can do about it.

On the flip side, “in a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment,” Dweck proposes.

HOW A GROWTH MINDSET CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER WRITER?

If you are a writer with a growth mindset, then you know that the key to success is within your control. You can achieve great heights by continuing to develop your skills. This is why developing a writing habit is one of the best steps to becoming a better writer.

Related: BECOMING A WRITER WHO WRITES
Also, a growth mindset means that you recognize the need to be a life learner. Challenge yourself to learn new skills. Take classes to expand your thinking.

I have attended so many different writing classes. Just before COVID 19 caused the world to shut down, I attended the Alabama Writing Workshop. I have taken courses on publishing children’s books, writing non-fiction, writing personal essays, and more. Most recently, I attended the Flourish Writers Conference.

Related: MY WRITING LIFE: WHAT I LEARNED AT THE 2020 FLOURISH WRITERS CONFERENCE

Finally, a growth mindset means that you do not internalize failures. You don’t see them as failures at all. Instead, you see them as lessons from which you learn and grow.

Therefore, with a growth mindset, we can all become better writers or better whatever we want to become.

What are your thoughts on a growth mindset? Do you have a growth mindset? How is your writing coming? Any suggestions on writing conferences or classes to take in 2021? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment.

~ Until Next Time
Sizable Chic