Growth Mindset for Creatives
About two years ago, I discovered something called growth mindset and it changed my life. Basically, it’s the idea that our brains are in a constant state of change and can grow and learn and develop, no matter your age.
Failures are inevitable and can be used as feedback. Stress can be incredibly helpful and even beneficial. Just by reading and learning this information, your brain can start to change. This is based in neuroscience and has been proven in studies to be true.
I put together an entire pdf with lots of resources and links so you can learn about it for yourself. I even created a worksheet in there for you. :)
I’ll give you an example of how this works. A few weeks ago, I was drawing hands. I was practicing them because I haven’t drawn anatomy much since art school, and I just felt like working on them. It was not going well - lol. I will tell you exactly where my thoughts went and how I used growth mindset to redirect my thoughts and actions.
Me to myself: These hands are terrible. I can NOT draw. Why do I think I can draw, anyway? I’m not very good at this, so why do I even try? I am not even good at art! I am a failure. (I am giving you vulnerable real information about the things that really go through my head).
Me (back to) myself: Let’s look at this honestly and objectively. These hands are actually not terrible. They aren’t great, but they aren’t bad either. You haven’t practiced hands in YEARS and hands are one of the hardest things to draw. You’ll get better with practice and time. And just because you’re struggling right now, doesn’t mean you won’t improve. In fact, you WILL get better with practice. And just because you are struggling with this ONE things, doesn’t mean you inept in other areas or that you are a failure. Those thoughts aren’t even true.
See what I did there? I took my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6) and I redirected them to be honest and to see my experience as an opportunity for growth. That’s how growth mindset works. You aren’t pretending your challenges don’t exist. You are just using them to your advantage and believing you can get better with effort and understanding.
I’ll give you another example of how this impacted me in a huge way. I started putting the word “yet” at the end of my sentences. For example, “I don’t know how to license my artwork . . . yet. “ And, “I can’t illustrate a children’s book . . . yet.” And, “I have no idea how to teach a watercolor workshop, or start a Youtube channel . . . yet.”
Guess what I did last year? Licensed my work (which is now in Target), illustrated a children’s (now in Barnes and Noble and Amazon), started a Youtube channel, AND taught a watercolor workshop! And it’s because I started seeing myself as someone who is capable of overcoming failure and challenges and growing.
How does this benefit you?
If you are an artist or a designer, monetizing your creative abilities is not an easy journey. Actually, any kind of business or anything worth doing isn’t easy. But that doesn’t have to hold you back. A growth mindset encourages you to turn obstacles into opportunities.
For a creative entrepreneur, a growth mindset is a powerful resource. By learning how to adapt, embrace failure as a part of the journey, and improve, you can approach your goals with resilience and enthusiasm.
You are capable of things so amazing you haven’t even thought of them yet! Be encouraged, friend!