The Valuable Lesson Running Taught Me About a Growth Mindset

And How I’m Still Re-Learning That Lesson Every Day

As a brand new runner on the cross country team in high school, I was inexperienced and slow (okay, I’m still slow). I was often last or second-to-last place on our team. And I was okay with that. I had never been very athletic before. So I was learning a new skill, strengthening new muscles, and just enjoying the ride and the thrill of it all.

At one point during a race, I could hear my coach yelling to me as I passed her. At first I couldn’t quite make out what she had said. But as she repeated it, I began to understand. She was urging me to “look up!” At that moment, I didn’t fully understand why she encouraged me to do this. I may have had an inkling as to why, but not her complete reasoning behind it.

I spent the rest of the race really striving to look up at the course in front of me any moment I could. I finished the race with my best time yet.

After crossing the finish line, I was welcomed by my coach, who finally explained to me why she recommended I always try to look ahead as I run. She told me that we tend to want to look down, but when we do, we place our focus on the ground right in front of us, making the course feel never-ending. It causes us to look at our legs, which makes us think of the strain in our muscles and the pain in our joints. But when we look up, we focus our attention forward on our destination, our ultimate goal — leaving thoughts of pain and drudgery beneath us.

Running life’s race

Whether or not you feel this strategy works for you in running (my husband argues that looking down in a sense hypnotizes him into “the zone” while he runs), it’s a good strategy for tackling life’s challenges. Of course, there are moments we need to “look down,” or focus on what’s right in front of you (just like while running, you need to glance down to avoid tripping over a rock or pothole). But in general, keeping your ultimate focus on a long-term perspective — with your end goals, or “destination,” in mind — will inspire you to not feel discouraged, and to keep moving forward.

This is one way to understand a growth mindset. Remembering that our challenges are NOT the end. They’re just part of the course. It helps all the struggles feel less monumentally overwhelming and more achievable.

Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset

Carol S. Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, is known for her research and expertise on growth mindset vs. fixed mindset.

Power of Positivity quotes her explaining the difference:

“In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success — without effort. They’re wrong.

“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work — brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities.”

Growth mindset is often encouraged in the context of raising children and education, but it can also powerfully impact your own achievements, confidence, and even your relationships. Let’s focus here about some of the important benefits to the individual of developing a growth mindset.

Let go of perfectionism

A fixed mindset and perfectionism emphasizes mistakes and weaknesses as flaws in identity or character. A growth mindset emphasizes the inherent worth that comes simply by being human and living life, regardless of positive or negative choices. Perfectionism can be stressful at best, crippling at worst. Expecting perfection out of yourself is not only unrealistic, it can also be detrimental to your own mental health, well-being, and progress.

It almost seems counterintuitive that a mindset that is the most forgiving of mistakes might also lead you to improve yourself the most effectively. But that’s exactly the point. When you are more patient with yourself, without setting hard and fast rules for things you have to be, you allow yourself room to grow.

Develop self-compassion

Ameet Ranadive informs us that “When NASA selects its astronauts, they reject people with ‘pure histories of success,’ and instead select applicants that have bounced back from failure.” This demonstrates that those candidates are capable of rising up again, even after things don’t go perfectly for them.

In fact, self-compassion has been found to be a highly important aspect of reaching success. More than self-esteem. More than intelligence, discipline, or inborn talents. And fostering a growth mindset is an important aspect of having compassion on yourself through mistakes, weaknesses, and failures.

Instead of hating on yourself for not meeting rigid self-expectations, a growth mindset reminds you that mistakes and setbacks are a normal part of life. Accepting this fact removes the frustration and makes space for an attitude of active engagement on your own journey to self-improvement.

Build resilience for tough times

A fixed mindset tends to think of both people and circumstances and set in stone — unable to be changed. On the other hand, a growth mindset acknowledges the truth that both we, as human beings, and our situations can change. This is where the old adage, “This too shall pass,” can be quite comforting. Remember that, when tough times come, having a growth mindset means you give yourself the strength to pull through.

Curb judgmental thoughts about others

Fostering a growth mindset is not only beneficial to yourself, but also to others. Once you understand that no one is “fixed,” and that growth is always possible, you’re able to view others with more compassion, as well. By looking at them with this growth mindset, you acknowledge that where they are and the choices they make is not always an indication of their worth as a person. And that they are truly capable of changing and becoming whoever they set their minds to be.

As Richard Bach writes, “Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” We are not fixed beings. We’re not set in stone. We can change. We can cultivate new talents, habits, skills. We can reach our highest potential. We can become whoever we decide to be. And anytime we fall short, we can pick ourselves back up again and keep moving forward.