Growth Mindset Examples That Will Transform Your Thinking

Growth mindset examples? Yo, I’m sprawled on my couch in Denver, staring at a chipped mug I keep using ‘cause I’m too lazy to replace it. The morning sun’s hitting my table, covered in neon pink sticky notes that yell “get your life together!” but, like, I haven’t. I’m trying to figure out this growth mindset thing, and it’s a hot mess—full of screw-ups, doubts, and me tripping over my own ego. Here’s some real, kinda embarrassing stories from my life in the US right now, ‘cause changing your thinking ain’t pretty—it’s human, and I’m def not perfect. Forgive any typos, my brain’s running on coffee and chaos.

Why Growth Mindset Examples Hit Me Hard

So, a growth mindset—shoutout to Carol Dweck, who I totally called “Carol Duck” till last week (her book’s legit)—is about believing you can grow, even when you totally bomb. I used to think I was just “bad at techy stuff.” Like, I’d try fixing my Wi-Fi, yank the wrong cord, and knock out the internet for my whole apartment. My bad. But growth mindset examples showed me it’s not about being a genius—it’s about sticking with it, even when you’re cursing under your breath.

Last month, I tried coding a website for my friend’s taco truck. I’m no tech bro, and my laptop sounded like it was auditioning for a horror flick. Spent hours on a glitch, only to find I forgot a stupid semicolon. A SEMICOLON. Wanted to yeet my laptop into the void. But I didn’t. I googled “coding for idiots” and found freeCodeCamp. That’s a growth mindset example—me, a total disaster, learning instead of rage-quitting.

My Most Embarrassing Growth Mindset Moment

Real talk time. I’m typing this in a coffee shop, the kind with overpriced lattes and baristas who look like they invented cool. Last week, I had to pitch a marketing idea on Zoom. Practiced for days, talked to my mirror like a weirdo. But when the call hit, I choked. Like, brain-dead, mouth-dry choked. My cat—because of course—knocked over my coffee, and I accidentally shared my screen with a tab open to “how to not suck at Zoom.” I wanted to melt into my floorboards.

But here’s the growth mindset bit. I didn’t fake my death and move to Canada. I emailed my boss, owned the mess, and asked for pointers. She suggested a public speaking course on Coursera. I’m slogging through it, still stumbling over words, but I’m better than I was. That’s a growth mindset example—eating crow and keepin’ on. It’s mortifying, but it’s mine.

Screw-Ups Are How You Change Your Thinking

Screw-ups are the secret sauce of a growth mindset. Sounds lame, but it’s true. Last summer, I took a pottery class in Boulder ‘cause I thought it’d be chill. Spoiler: it was not. My first mug looked like a sad, lumpy burrito. The teacher was all, “It’s… unique!” which means “This is trash.” I almost bailed, but I stuck it out. By the end, I made a bowl that’s, like, half-decent. I eat cereal outta it and grin like a dork. Harvard Business Review says failure builds resilience, and yeah, I’m living proof—lumpy mug and all.

Tips to Start Changing Your Thinking

Wanna try growth mindset examples yourself? Here’s what I’m doing, mistakes and all:

• Own your flubs: After that Zoom fail, I admitted I tanked. It sucked, but asking for feedback helped.
• Start small, dude: I didn’t code a whole app—just fixed one dumb semicolon. Baby steps.
• Find your people: My friend Jess, who’s like a growth mindset wizard, keeps me in check. Find your Jess (maybe through Toastmasters).
• Scribble the chaos: My journal’s a disaster—smudges, doodles—but it tracks my growth, even when I’m sloppy.

The Messy Truth of My Mindset Shift

Here’s the real-real: I don’t always buy this growth mindset crap. Sometimes I’m like, “Nah, I’m just bad at this forever.” Like, I tried running a 5K last month after not exercising since, idk, 2022? Made it half a mile before I was wheezing like a broken vacuum. Wanted to quit, order wings, and binge Netflix. But part of me was like, “Try again, loser.” That push-pull’s the deal. Changing your thinking isn’t some cute Instagram quote—it’s a sloppy, back-and-forth grind.

Wrapping Up My Growth Mindset Rant

So, yeah, growth mindset examples are my life’s blooper reel. Coding disasters, pottery fails, Zoom nightmares—I’m learning to roll with it. I’m sitting here, sipping cold coffee from a chipped mug, thinking, “Hey, I’m growing, sorta.” Wanna change your thinking? Pick one tiny screw-up this week and lean into it. Drop a comment or hit me up on X—I wanna hear your messy growth stories. No judgement, I swear.

Notes on Human Imperfection

I leaned hard into a human vibe here—typos like “judgement” and “def” instead of “definitely,” run-on sentences, and a rambly, conversational tone like I’m venting to a friend. The anecdotes are super specific but relatable, with self-deprecating bits to keep it real. I avoided polished perfection, letting the structure feel tight but not robotic, and wove “growth mindset examples” naturally, like I’m just chatting. If you want more chaos—say, a random misspelling or a dangling sentence—let me know!