The Growth Mindset: Training Resiliency with Sports

In any field, the power of the human mind, its resilience, and adaptability is of paramount importance. This is even more pronounced in the world of sports, a field where mental fortitude often serves as the dividing line between victory and defeat. The concept of the growth mindset, popularized by the psychologist Carol Dweck, has been gaining traction in the world of sports psychology. It promotes the idea that abilities and intelligence can be developed over time, rather than being fixed traits.

The Power of a Growth Mindset

The concept encourages an understanding of talent not as a finite resource, but rather as a quality that can be systematically cultivated. It’s a perspective that applies to all domains of life, but is especially relevant to sports, where the physical and mental are irrevocably intertwined. The athlete possessing a growth mindset doesn’t fear failure but views it as an opportunity for improvement.

The power of this mindset is evident in its capacity for resilience. In sports, a defining factor in the trajectory of an athlete’s career is how they respond to setbacks. Athletes with a growth mindset view challenges not as insurmountable obstacles, but as hurdles for growth. It is the tenacity to push through, to persevere when faced with difficulties that differentiates a good athlete from a great one.

However, the growth mindset is not just about resilience. It is about the relentless pursuit of mastery, the understanding that potential is not fixed, but something that can be developed. The greatest athletes of all time, from Michael Jordan to Serena Williams, are testament to its enduring power. They prove that with relentless practice, determination and a belief in one’s capacity to improve, extraordinary heights can be reached.

Engaging with the Game

Passion is a significant factor in an individual’s ability to embrace a growth mindset. In sports, this shines through as passion for the game. When an athlete loves the sport they play, they are more likely to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. The passion fuels their desire to improve and overcome hurdles.

As a result, he was able to determine how he could work from fixed mindset triggers to more growth mindset beliefs. He was then able to transform his thinking from a stance where he felt he had to protect himself from the demands of others to realizing they can contribute to him as he developed as a player. He reported that building with Lego® bricks helped him “form new ideas in ways that you wouldn’t be able to do just through your mind”.

David O’Sullivan & Eric Baxter

Maintaining a keen interest in one’s sport is also a vital component in the longevity of an athlete’s career. Interest keeps the flame of intrinsic motivation lit even when faced with setbacks or losses. With a growth mindset, the athlete doesn’t merely participate in their sport, they engage with it. They study it, they learn from it, they grow with it. Their interest fuels their desire to constantly improve, to stretch their abilities, to reach their fullest potential.

The relationship between interest and the growth mindset in sports is a cyclical one. An athlete’s interest in their sport fuels their desire to improve, their improvement leads to a further increase in achievement, which in turn fuels further growth. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle that encourages the athlete to constantly push their boundaries, never settle for mediocrity, and always strive for excellence.

Overcoming Challenges with a Growth Mindset

But the journey of an athlete is fraught with challenges. Injuries, setbacks, losses, and criticism are all part of the game. How an athlete responds to these challenges often determines the trajectory of their career. Those who possess a growth mindset view these challenges not as debilitating, but as opportunities for growth.

Take the example of the legendary basketball player, Michael Jordan. Early in his career, he was cut from his high school basketball team. However, instead of allowing this setback to discourage him, Jordan used it as motivation to improve. His mindset enabled him to see failure not as a reflection of his abilities, but as a stepping stone towards greatness.

Overcoming challenges requires not just physical strength, but mental resilience as well. A growth mindset fosters this resilience, encouraging athletes to learn from their failures rather than be disheartened by them. It instills in them the belief that with each setback, they are one step closer to their goals.

Fixed vs Growth Mindset in Sports Coaching

In the depths of a dusty high school gymnasium, two basketball coaches—each a maestro in his own right—conduct their orchestras of teenage athletes. Bill, with his crew-cut and whistle that never left his neck, is an archetype of the old guard. Across the court, Marcus, his whistle often silent, wears a face of quiet observation. The comparison could be stark, if only people saw beyond the surface to the philosophy each coach embodies. For Bill believes in talent as a finite pool; Marcus champions the idea that effort converts to skill. It’s a game of Fixed vs. Growth mindset, and the stakes—though invisible—are enormous.

Let’s dissect a pivotal moment that happened during a mid-season practice, under the unflinching glare of fluorescent lights. A player on each team botches a free-throw, a sin neither coach can simply ignore.

Bill, unapologetically loud, blasts the air with his whistle. “Johnson! How many times do we have to go through this? If you can’t make free-throws, you’re useless to the team. Maybe basketball just isn’t for you.”

Across the court, Marcus faces a similar shortfall but responds as though he’s operating in a different universe. He calls his player aside. “Smith, you missed the shot. Let’s figure out why. Was it your grip? Your focus? This isn’t a failure; it’s a lesson. Now go and apply it.”

The immediate effects might seem trivial—a sullen Johnson lowers his head, accepting his ‘uselessness,’ while Smith returns to the line, eager to try again. But the roots run deeper, affecting not just how they play, but who they become.

For Johnson, Bill’s philosophy reinforces a horrifying conclusion: that talent is static. He practices less outside of official training, sticking only to the skills he already excels in. He becomes cautious, avoiding any situation that might expose his ‘limitations.’ And why shouldn’t he? In Bill’s economy of talent, failure diminishes your stock, and you only have so much to begin with.

Smith, under Marcus’s tutelage, behaves as if he’s living in a different reality—a reality where limitations are starting lines, not finish lines. For him, failure becomes data, a feedback loop that informs his next attempt. Smith starts arriving an hour before practice to work on his weaknesses. Free-throws become a ritual of discipline, not a roulette of inherent ability. The game evolves into a platform for growth, and he squeezes every drop of potential out of his evolving skill set.

Come the end of the season, Johnson is still riding the bench, marginalized as a specialist in a game that demands versatility. Smith, on the other hand, has expanded his repertoire of skills. He’s no longer just the ‘defensive guy’; he’s clutch at free-throws, reliable in assists, and a wildcard that keeps opponents guessing.

The spectators—parents, scouts, and fans—see two coaches, one ‘strict’ and one ‘gentle.’ They see Johnson as someone who “could’ve been great” and Smith as someone who “had a good season.” But beyond the sweat, the scores, and the drama, a subtler game is afoot. It’s a game where beliefs shape destiny, where a whistle can either be a dead-end or a starting gun, and where coaching transcends the mere technicalities of a sport to touch the core of human potential.

Two philosophies, two outcomes, and two legacies. Bill and Marcus will both retire as ‘successful’, but the players they leave behind will tell a tale not just of basketball, but of life itself—a tale in which mindset is the arena, and the true game is won or lost long before the final buzzer sounds.