Let’s be honest, some days at work feel like a win, and others feel like you’re barely keeping up. We’ve all been there. But one of the biggest shifts you can make in your career isn’t a job title or new certification. It’s the way you think about growth, and that’s where a growth mindset comes in.

What we mean when we talk about a growth mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that you’re capable of learning, adapting, and improving over time. That you’re not locked into “what you’re good at” or “what you’ve always done.” Instead of thinking, “I’m just not cut out for this,” a growth mindset says, “I don’t know this yet, but I can figure it out.”

It’s not about being overly optimistic or ignoring reality. It’s about being curious. Willing to try. Willing to get it wrong. And willing to learn from it.

Why it matters in your day-to-day work

Whether you’re early in your career or thinking about your next step, a growth mindset helps you:

• Take feedback without taking it personally

• Keep going when things don’t click right away

• Say yes to new challenges (even when you’re unsure)

• See your role, and yourself, as something that can evolve

It’s also something your team feels. When people around you see that you’re open, engaged, and not afraid to ask questions, it invites others to do the same.

That’s what makes it so powerful for career development, it creates the kind of mindset that supports learning and long-term progress.

How to start building a growth mindset

You don’t need a dramatic reset. It starts small:

• Notice your self-talk. Are you shutting something down before you even begin? Try adding “yet” to the end of that sentence.

• Ask for feedback, and listen. You don’t have to agree with everything. But there’s usually something useful in there.

• Celebrate effort, not just the outcome. Progress doesn’t always look like a big win. Sometimes it’s just not giving up.

• Learn from the people around you. What are others doing well? What can you ask or try? Getting a mentor, either at work or outside of it, can also make a big difference. It doesn’t have to be formal. It can be anyone who’s already excelling at what you want to be doing.

• Reframe mistakes. Instead of thinking “I failed,” ask “What did I learn?”

None of this is about being perfect. It’s about staying open to what’s possible, even when the path feels unclear. That openness is key to personal growth.