Growth Mindset and Grace Help You Do Hard Things — 2 Nephi 26–30

Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon 2024 (March 4–10)

One of my favorite topics is “mindset” as developed by Dr. Carol Dweck, a Stanford professor of education. Mindset is the lens through which we view ourselves and our abilities. Consider a continuum with fixed mindset being on one end and growth mindset on the other. 

Fixed mindset is the belief we cannot change who we are. If one tries to change, it should come easily, quickly and without significant effort. At the core of fixed mindset Is the belief that failure or even the risk of failure should be avoided at all costs because it would mean “I am a failure.” Consequently, when one uses a fixed mindset, doing hard things, like learning new skills or setting goals to become better, are avoided, because these require feeling the discomfort of being a beginner and the courage to get up after the inevitable falling down.

Nephi refers to fixed mindset in 2 Nephi 28:29: “Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!” and in v. 24, “…wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!” 

Growth mindset is the belief that anything can be learned and developed with patience, practice, and persistence. This leads to a desire to grow, embrace challenges, and do hard things. What’s most valuable about having a growth mindset is how to view failure.

“Growth mindset is a buffer against defeatism. It reframes failure as a natural part of the change process. And that’s critical because people will persevere only if they perceive falling down as learning rather than as failing” (Carol Dweck). 

Replace “grace” with “growth mindset” in the quote above. By understanding that grace is both the saving and strengthening power of Jesus Christ, we can indeed say with a growth mindset, “I can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13), “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). 

Do Hard Divinely Better Skill #11: Recognize when a fixed mindset is framing failure or making mistakes as failing rather than learning. 

To learn more about growth mindset and grace, watch Carol Dweck’s Ted Talk and read Brad Wilcox’s article in the March 2024 For the Strength of Youth magazine.