How to Develop a Growth Mindset Through Coaching
Photo by Peter Olexa on Unsplash
Mindset matters. And I’ll be honest with you, I used to roll my eyes when people told me that “mindset is everything.”
I thought it was just motivational fluff. But, over time, through both my personal and professional growth, I learned a hard truth:
Your mindset can be the biggest barrier holding you back, or the greatest tool driving you forward.
You see, when my career felt like it had stalled, I had two options. I could either stay stuck in frustration or shift gears in how I was thinking.
The same applied to my fitness goals. I’d been working hard, but progress was slow. And it wasn’t until I began looking at challenges differently and working with people who had been on similar journeys that things changed.
To put it simply, I transitioned from
a fixed mindset, where the belief is that intelligence and ability are set in stone, to
a growth mindset, where the belief is that with effort, learning, and persistence, I can improve.
And for me… that change transformed everything.
Why Mindset Matters
As I transition my mindset, which is a journey in itself, I found that a growth mindset shapes how you approach learning, challenges, and change.
This mindset is not just about “positive thinking”, which is what I assumed. It’s actually about seeing yourself as capable of growth, even when things get tough.
Learning ability
People with a growth mindset treat challenges like training sessions. You might struggle, sweat, and stumble, but you come out stronger because you’re learning in the process.Resilience
Instead of giving up when setbacks hit. You bounce back faster. And you start seeing failures as temporary moments, not defining ones.Willingness to take risks
You try new things, even when there’s no guarantee of success, because you know the experience will teach you something valuable.Overall performance
Whether in the gym, at work, or in personal life, this mindset drives you to keep improving, and that’s where lasting results come from.
When I finally embraced a growth mindset in my own career, I stopped obsessing over barriers and started building strategies. In fitness, I stopped telling myself, “I’m just not built for this,” and started asking, “What can I do differently to make progress?” I achieved this by seeking advice and support from people in my network, learning from them, and trying new things.
What is a Growth Mindset?
I believe that a growth mindset is built on three simple but powerful beliefs:
Abilities can be developed
You might not be there yet, but “yet” is the keyword.Effort is essential
Skill and strength aren’t instant. They’re built through consistent work.Failure is feedback
Mistakes don’t define you. They guide you.
Adopting a growth mindset can lead to greater adaptability, motivation, and achievement over time.
But let’s clear up a myth.
A growth mindset isn’t about blind optimism or thinking you can achieve anything if you just “try harder.” It’s about pairing effort with smarter strategies and the right resources.
What Gets in the Way?
Self-doubt and limiting beliefs
Telling yourself “I’m not the type of person who can…” before you even try.Past experiences
Old failures can leave scars that make you reluctant to try again.Workplace or cultural norms
Environments that reward only “winning” can discourage effort and experimentation.Fear of change
Even positive change can feel uncomfortable, and our brains often cling to the familiar.
How Coaching Can Help
As a coach and someone who has had coaching, a skilled coach can help you spot and change unhelpful thought patterns. Here’s how:
Awareness
Identifying when you’re thinking in fixed-mindset terms.Reframing
Seeing a setback as a stepping stone instead of a dead end.Goal setting
Breaking a big goal into smaller, achievable steps so progress feels possible.Feedback
Getting constructive feedback without judgment.Accountability
Having someone in your corner to keep you consistent.Support
Providing a safe space where you can try, fail, and try again without fear.
Strategies That Build a Growth Mindset
When I work with clients, whether for fitness or personal development, I use strategies like:
Embracing challenges
Encouraging clients to lean into difficulty rather than avoid it.Focusing on effort and process
Praising the work put in, not just the end result.Promoting reflection
Helping clients learn from what went well and what didn’t.Setting process-focused goals
Measuring progress by learning and consistency, not just outcomes.Celebrating progress
Recognising every step forward, no matter how small.
A Coaching Example
Through a coaching session, clients may struggle with imposter syndrome. It’s something I’ve struggled with too. During a session with a client, I noticed that their language was full of self-doubt: “I’m not good enough,” “I don’t deserve this role.”
So, we worked on an exercise called Naming and Taming Your Inner Gremlin. This “gremlin” is your inner critic, the voice that tries to keep you safe, but often holds you back.
By recognising what their gremlin was saying and why, the client built a plan for working with it instead of being controlled by it. Over time, they stopped letting that inner voice dictate their actions and started pushing forward with confidence.
Tips You Can Try Today
Reframe challenges
When you hit a wall, ask, “What can this teach me?”Value the process
Track the work you’re putting in, not just the results.Seek feedback
It’s not criticism; it’s data to help you improve.Stay curious
Keep learning, exploring, and asking questions.Believe in your potential
You might not have mastered it yet, but you can get there.
Before I finish this blog, I want to remind you that you’re not a machine. You won’t live in a growth mindset 24/7, and that’s fine. Sometimes you need rest, reflection, and recovery, just like in training.
But, when you choose to approach life with a belief in your ability to learn and grow, you open doors you didn’t even know were there. Coaching can be the guide that helps you walk through those doors and discover just how far you can go.
