I was recently stuck on my couch for four days with a fever (not my finest moment!), watching everything on Netflix. And there I was, watching this totally unexpected movie that taught me something profound about how our beliefs shape everything we do.
It got me thinking about the whole idea of growth mindset vs. fixed mindset—and why understanding the difference matters so much for you as a woman building a business.
Here’s what I’ve realized: every single day, we’re operating from one of these two mindsets. And these aren’t just buzzwords from a psychology textbook. They’re invisible forces shaping every decision you make, every risk you take (or don’t take), and every dream you pursue (or let slip away).
So What’s Really Going On in Your Head?
Before we dive deep, let me share some fascinating research that changed how I think about all of this.
A psychologist named Carol Dweck at Stanford University spent years studying why some people succeed and others don’t, even when they have similar talents and opportunities. What she shared in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success kind of blew my mind.
It turns out that what we believe about our own abilities fundamentally shapes our behavior, our motivation, and ultimately our success. And we tend to fall into one of two camps.
Fixed mindset is basically believing that you’re either good at something or you’re not. That your intelligence, your talents, and your abilities are set in stone. You’ve got what you’ve got, and that’s that.
You know those thoughts that sound like: “I’m just not a numbers person,” or “Some people are natural leaders and I’m not one of them,” or “If I were really talented at this, it wouldn’t be so hard”? That’s fixed mindset talking.
Growth mindset is believing that your abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. That where you are right now isn’t where you have to stay.
It sounds like: “I can figure this out,” or “This is hard, but I’m learning,” or “I’m not good at this yet.”
Dweck’s team actually measured brain activity in students while they were reviewing mistakes on a test. The students with a fixed mindset? Their brains showed almost no activity when looking at their errors—they literally shut down. But the students with a growth mindset? Their brains lit up. They were actively processing, learning, engaging with what went wrong.
Same mistakes. Completely different responses. All because of what they believed about themselves.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Let me tell you about two of my clients who perfectly demonstrate this difference. (Names have been changed so I’m not calling anybody out!)
Kelly came to me with what I’d call a textbook fixed mindset. She believed she wasn’t “a natural leader.” When her team faced challenges, she took it as proof that she wasn’t cut out for leadership. She’d say things like, “I guess I’m just not good at this,” or “Maybe I should step back and let someone else lead.”
Every setback confirmed what she already believed about herself. It was exhausting to watch—and I’m sure even more exhausting to live.
Then there’s Mary. When she faced similar challenges—and trust me, she faced plenty—her response was completely different: “What can I learn from this?” “How can I approach this differently next time?”
Same situations. Two totally different outcomes. All because of their mindsets.
Signs You Might Be Stuck in a Fixed Mindset (These Are Sneaky!)
Okay, here’s where I need you to be really honest with yourself. Because sometimes we don’t even realize we’re operating from a fixed mindset. As a coach, I see these patterns show up all the time—even in the most successful women!
You avoid challenges because you’re afraid of looking incompetent. I had a client who turned down a huge speaking opportunity because she wasn’t “a natural public speaker.” Instead of seeing it as a chance to grow, she let that fixed mindset convince her she’d embarrass herself.
Can you relate? We often stick to what we know we’re good at, missing chances to expand our skills and influence.
You give up quickly when things get hard. This shows up a lot in business! Maybe you try something new—like launching a program or testing a marketing strategy—and when it doesn’t work perfectly the first time, you decide, “I’m just not good at marketing,” or “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
That’s your fixed mindset talking, convincing you that if it’s not easy, it’s not for you.
You see effort as pointless. This is the classic “either you have it or you don’t” thinking. Women tell me all the time, “Some people are just natural leaders” or “I’m not good with numbers.”
But here’s the truth, and Dweck’s research backs this up, nobody starts as an expert. Every. Single. Skill. Takes practice and effort. Believing effort matters actually makes you more likely to succeed.
You ignore useful feedback because it feels like criticism. Oh, this is a big one! When someone offers constructive criticism, do you get defensive or shut down?
I recently worked with a leader who would literally change the subject when her team tried to give feedback. She was so afraid of not being “perfect” that she couldn’t see feedback as a gift for growth.
You feel threatened by others’ success. This shows up in subtle ways—maybe you stop following someone on social media because their success makes you feel bad, or you find yourself thinking, “They just got lucky,” when someone else succeeds.
Instead of being inspired by others’ achievements, you feel diminished by them. That’s fixed mindset at work.
You hold yourself back from big goals. With a fixed mindset, you might set “safe” goals that you know you can achieve, rather than stretching for what you really want. It’s like having an internal ceiling on your potential.
Here’s the tricky thing about all of these signs: they often masquerade as being “realistic” or “practical.” We tell ourselves we’re just being sensible when really, we’re letting that fixed mindset keep us playing small.
One Tiny Word That Changes Everything
Okay, this is my favorite thing I learned from Dweck’s research, and I use it with my clients all the time.
It’s the power of one small word: yet.
Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” you add “yet” to the end.
“I’m not good at public speaking… yet.”
“I haven’t mastered financial planning… yet.”
“I don’t know how to scale my business… yet.”
I know it sounds almost too simple. But that one word opens up possibilities. It shifts you from a fixed mindset (this is just who I am) to a growth mindset (this is where I am on my learning journey).
In her TED talk on the power of believing you can improve, Dweck talks about a high school in Chicago that did something brilliant. When students didn’t pass a course, they didn’t get a failing grade. Instead, they got the grade “Not Yet.” And that small change transformed how students saw themselves. Instead of “I’m a failure,” they understood they were still learning.
I love that so much. What if we all gave ourselves “not yet” instead of “not enough”?
How to Actually Shift Your Mindset (Practical Stuff You Can Do This Week)
The good news? A growth mindset isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you can develop. (See what I did there? Growth mindset about growth mindset!)
Here’s what actually works:
Get curious about your narrative. What stories are you telling yourself? Like in that movie I watched (yes, still talking about that!), sometimes we carry narratives from our past that don’t serve our future.
Challenge those old stories. Ask yourself: “Is this still true for me? Does this belief help me become who I want to be?”
Start using “yet.” Catch yourself when you make fixed mindset statements and add that magic word. It sounds simple because it is—but simple doesn’t mean it’s not powerful.
Reframe challenges as learning opportunities. When you face something difficult, pause and ask: What can I learn from this? How will this help me grow? What skills will I develop by working through this?
Celebrate effort, not just outcomes. Dweck’s research shows that praising effort over results actually improves performance. So start noticing and appreciating the work you put in, not just the results you get.
Did you try something new? Take a risk? Push outside your comfort zone? That’s worth celebrating—even if it didn’t go perfectly.
Look at the rooms you’re in. Are you surrounded by people who believe in growth and possibility? Who challenge you to think bigger? Who support your development? Your environment matters more than you might think.
Ask for feedback on purpose. Instead of avoiding feedback, actively request it. I know, I know—that sounds terrifying. But when we’re open to learning what we can improve, we grow so much faster.
What Happens When You Make This Shift
When you move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, amazing things start happening. I’ve seen this transformation so many times with my clients, and honestly? It never gets old.
You become more resilient. Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, you start seeing them as data. One of my clients went from crying in her car after a tough client meeting to saying, “Okay, what can I learn from this?” She now keeps a “lessons learned” journal and actually gets excited about challenges because she knows they’re making her stronger.
Creativity flows more naturally. When you’re not afraid of “getting it wrong,” you let yourself experiment and play. A client who used to agonize over every Instagram post now tests new content ideas freely. She’s actually having fun with it, and her engagement has skyrocketed because her audience can feel that authentic energy.
Your leadership expands. When you operate from a growth mindset, you stop trying to prove yourself and start focusing on developing others. One of my clients went from micromanaging her team to empowering them to solve problems creatively. Her team’s productivity doubled, but more importantly, they’re more engaged and innovative than ever.
You inspire others to grow too. This is the ripple effect that gets me so excited! When you model a growth mindset, it’s contagious. I’ve watched leaders transform entire company cultures just by changing how they approach challenges.
Your potential starts to feel limitless. A client recently told me, “I used to think I couldn’t run a million-dollar business because I’m not good with numbers. Now I realize I can learn whatever I need to learn.”
She’s not just dreaming bigger. She’s taking concrete steps toward those dreams because she knows she can develop the skills she needs.
Can I Be Honest With You for a Second?
Even as a coach, I catch myself slipping into a fixed mindset sometimes. Just recently, I was faced with a new challenge in my business and caught that little voice saying, “Maybe you’re not cut out for this.”
The voice still shows up. That’s not the part that changes.
What changes is recognizing those thoughts for what they are, and choosing, consciously and deliberately, to shift to a growth perspective. To get curious instead of critical. To ask “how can I?” instead of declaring “I can’t.”
Your Turn
So here’s my challenge to you: This week, just notice when you’re operating from a fixed mindset. No judgment! Keep a little note in your phone or journal about what triggers those fixed mindset moments.
Then practice shifting. Add “yet” to your limiting statements. Ask yourself what you can learn when things get hard.
It might feel uncomfortable at first (growth usually does!), but stick with it. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. We’re all working on it together.
Join My Community
Ready to dive deeper into your mindset work? Let’s stay connected:
- Join my Facebook community to connect with other women who are committed to growth
- Follow me on Instagram to see how I implement these strategies in real life
- Take the Strategic Planning Wheel to get clarity on where you want to grow next
Remember, the question isn’t whether you can develop a growth mindset—it’s when you’ll start. You’ve got this, Leading Lady!
