Neuroplasticity and growth vs fixed mindsets

Out with the old and in with the new: achieve your goals by learning how to cultivate and maintain a growth mindset.
- Iona

Reading time: 5.28 minutes

The concepts of growth vs fixed mindsets have been circulated by psychologists, life coaches and philosophers – however, it’s unclear how effective or inhibiting they truly are without delving deeper. Here, we’ll explore what growth and fixed mindsets are, and how implementing simple actions can lead to cultivating a growth mindset, and even alter your brain structure. Research shows that a growth mindset has been proven to be an essential tool in academic and career success and can ultimately determine the person you want to be and whether you accomplish your goals. Our aim at selfsquared is to teach you how to reach beyond your limits and achieve your goals, and learning how to cultivate a growth mindset is an essential first step.
 
Why adopt a growth mindset? The leading Psychologist in this field, Dr. Carol Dweck, has conducted years of research into the effects of adopting a growth mindset, studying the power of changing one’s underlying beliefs about what they can achieve, where such changes led to an increase in neural growth. This originated studying students’ GPAs (grades) before and after being taught how to adopt a growth mindset – with the results showing undeniable improvement and growth in students who successfully implemented it. Since then, growth mindsets have been linked to success in one’s career, personal growth and overall life achievement.
 
The journey of how growth mindsets can affect such fundamental aspects of our lives begins with neuroplasticity. Through neuroplasticity, human beings can learn new languages, form memories, and rehabilitate themselves – but what actually is it? Neuroplasticity is essentially the ‘rewiring of the brain’ - a feature that our brains have whereby nerve cells called neurons can adapt to new circumstances in our environment. It allows us to strengthen certain neural connections that we do need meanwhile ‘pruning’ off connections that we don’t. When neuroplasticity results in beneficial changes, it can allow us to develop or even create certain functions, such as strengthening connections for language or memory.

Neuroplasticity works via a combination of synaptic plasticity (strengthening connections) and neurogenesis (creating new cells in the brain). Synaptic plasticity allows for the gap between two neurons (synapse) to be modified to allow for those two neurons to communicate more effectively with each other – metaphorically ‘closing’ the gap between them. Neurogenesis involves the creation of completely new neurons altogether. Although there has been controversy over whether neurogenesis is possible in adults, recent research shows that it is possible in certain regions of the brain (in particular the region responsible for memory). Together, these two processes combine to allow our brains to be flexible and adaptable.

Disruption of neuroplasticity by severe stress or traumatic experiences can be a characteristic of infamous neurological conditions such as depression or PTSD. People can become stuck in certain neural patterns of negative thinking – and literally lose synapses in the process. These negative thinking patterns are also a key feature of a fixed mindset.

Do you ever feel like your abilities are ‘fixed’? Like you can’t play an instrument, or you’re either “smart” or “not smart”? This is referred to as a fixed mindset, which is where an individual believes that their abilities are fixed and cannot be changed. On the other hand, a growth mindset is a mindset in which an individual views their intelligence, abilities and talents as capable of improvement through effort and exercise.

The good news is that self-directed neuroplasticity can help us cultivate a growth mindset. Adopting a growth mindset brings a plethora of benefits including increasing motivation, learning and overall success – through viewing challenges as mistakes to learn from rather than something one can fail.

We can rewire our own brains through consistently exercising positive actions or thoughts to establish them as habits and regular behaviours, by adopting a growth mindset. Growth mindsets allow us to increase positive behaviours and reinforce positive thoughts while allowing for setbacks, ensuring that some neural connections are strengthened, and others ‘pruned’ off - bridging the gap between the so called ‘mind’ and the ‘brain’.
 
But how can we activate this rewiring ourselves? There are five ways to use neuroplasticity to adopt a growth mindset. Firstly, simplify what you’re trying to achieve by streamlining your progress. Instead of having a general idea of how you want to succeed, focus on beneficial key goals and eliminate irrelevant goals.

Secondly, learn to embrace failure and learn from your mistakes. By viewing failure as a positive rather than a negative, we can learn from each one and improve our decision making. Accepting your failures opens up other avenues to try new things and set new goals, even if there is a chance that you may fail. Ultimately leading to a higher chance of succeeding at your higher goals in life.

Thirdly, integrate movement into your routine. Neuroscientific evidence shows that physical activity stimulates the release of a substance called Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) which activates the growth of new synaptic connections, improving neuroplasticity. As discussed earlier, an improvement in neuroplasticity in the right areas helps us create a growth mindset.

Fourthly, create small daily challenges for yourself. Measurable mini goals make getting out of your comfort zone more doable, which is an important feature in fostering a growth mindset. Once you can escape your comfort zone, that is when you can tackle the harder problems, leading to the achievement of more sizable goals.

Finally, be open to feedback. Allowing others to constructively criticise your performance can push you to challenge yourself beyond your original limits and understand that you are responsible for your own growth – which is the fundamental premise of a growth mindset.
 
Understanding the difference between growth and fixed mindsets and how to identify what kind of mindset you’re currently in is the first step forward. Once established, use the above techniques to activate your own neuroplasticity, and forge your own path to growth and achieving your goals.
Remember – the mindset you adopt for yourself determines your success.

- Iona