Growth Mindset: The Power of “Yet”

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. The importance of a growth mindset lies in its numerous benefits for personal development, learning, and success. Having a growth mindset allows you to grow, rather than a fixed mindset which is static. Having a growth mindset gives individuals the opportunity for resilience, continues improvement, persistence and effort, strong learning orientation, the ability to adapt, and have increased achievement.

Having a growth mindset isn’t easy, it takes work and effort to be okay with failure and to look at those failures as opportunities. As a college student, I think having a growth mindset is a superpower. College students are learning, and we are all just starting our lives, there is no doubt that we will experience failure here at school and after we complete our degree. We have to give ourselves grace and allow ourselves to try again. We will be good at our profession eventually; we just aren’t there yet. We aren’t financially stable, yet. We don’t have our lives figured out, yet. We should all be able to understand where we are in life and realize we can achieve more and be successful in the things we pursue. I encourage you all to put “The Power of Yet” strategy to use.

The “Power of Yet” is a concept popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck in the context of a growth mindset. It refers to the idea that adding the word “yet” to the end of a sentence can transform a statement from a line of failure into one of potential. The addition of “yet” implies that although you may not have achieved something right now, there is still room for growth and improvement in the future. By adopting a mindset that embraces the power of yet, you are more likely to persevere through challenges, view setbacks as opportunities for learning, and ultimately develop resilience and a belief in your own ability to succeed with effort and perseverance.

I know this strategy may seem silly to some, but to others it may work for them. Personally, as a college student I think this strategy works well for me. I was struggling this semester with my clinical teaching; I wasn’t the greatest at putting my lessons together quickly. I would take a lot of time trying to perfect it. I would just tell myself that I am not good at this particular part of my profession yet, but I am working on it.  I also presented this strategy to my high school students, and it resonated well with them as well. They changed their negative mindset and began to try, rather than saying they aren’t good at English. I was excited to introduce this strategy to my students.

The “Power of Yet” and a growth mindset promotes a positive outlook on learning and personal development. College students who believe in their ability to improve and succeed are more likely to maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity. A positive outlook can contribute to overall well-being and resilience throughout the journey of college.