Psychology differentiates between a “fixed mindset” and a “growth-oriented mindset.”

A person with a fixed mindset tends to believe that their abilities, intelligence, and talents are static traits. In other words, they cannot change them or improve them. A fixed mindset can also contribute to anxiety and depression.

A person with a growth-oriented mindset, on the other hand, holds the belief that their abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.

As you can imagine, a growth mindset allows our children to adapt and grow more confident and capable as they move through life. The challenge is how to help our children develop a growth mindset or, even more, how to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Doing so may help your child take the risks necessary to experience greater growth and competence.

If you are wondering how to can help your child replace a fixed mindset with a growth-oriented mindset, the University of East Anglia has good news. They published a study in which the simple act of watching a ten-minute video about a growth-oriented mindset had a positive impact on the viewers’ personal beliefs about their ability to grow and change. Watching the video just one time increased their belief that personal traits and abilities can change over time with effort and learning. This single, on-line intervention did not have any immediate effects on symptoms of anxiety and depression; in fact, I hope they do a more long-term follow-up to see if the increase in a growth-oriented mindset does contribute to a decrease in symptoms of anxiety or depression over time.

Now the bad news. Sorry, I wasn’t able to find the video they used in this study. However, I will share this YouTube video from Mental Health Center Kids with you. It explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth-oriented mindset to elementary students and then offers six ways to develop a growth-oriented mindset. And here is a 3rd grader giving a TEDx Youth talk about what a growth-oriented mindset means for kids. If you want a more in depth look at how to develop a growth-oriented mindset and help your children do the same, watch this 14-minute video with Carol Dweck, who literally “wrote the book” on the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth-oriented mindset. Then help your child develop a growth-oriented mindset and watch them flourish and grow.