How Parents Can Encourage a Growth Mindset in Athletes
In elite sports, the mindset athletes carry into training and competition can be as influential as their physical preparation. While coaches and trainers work tirelessly to build skills, parents play a pivotal role in shaping the outlook their athletes adopt. One of the most valuable contributions parents can make is helping their athlete foster a growth mindset—a belief that abilities are developed and improved through effort, learning, and perseverance (Dweck, 2006).
Growth vs. Fixed Mindsets in Athletic Development
Dr. Carol Dweck’s research highlights the difference between growth and fixed mindsets. Individuals operating from a growth mindset tend to embrace challenges, persist after setbacks, and see effort as a pathway to mastery. Those operating with a fixed mindset perceive abilities as innate and unchangeable, often avoiding difficult tasks to protect their sense of competence or others’ perceptions of their talents and abilities (Yeager & Dweck, 2020).
Elite athletes inherently encounter challenging feedback, competition, and failure, which can be fertile ground for resilience and/or self-doubt, depending on their mindset. The pressure to perform at the highest levels can push athletes into a fixed mindset. In addition, a fear of failure can keep athletes from taking the critical risks that ultimately lead to growth. In fact, Dr. Dweck’s work with the UK’s Blackburn Rovers football club demonstrated that early athletic success could lead to stagnation if players believe their skills are fixed rather than capable of development (Krakovsky, 2007).
The Misuse of Growth Mindset: A Reality Check
Despite its popularity, a growth mindset is frequently misinterpreted as simply "trying hard" or "staying positive." This misunderstanding dilutes its true impact. A growth mindset is not about embracing challenges indiscriminately or simply maintaining optimism—it is about deliberate learning, adaptability, and recognizing that setbacks are part of improvement (Dweck, 2016).
Moreover, everyone is vulnerable to fixed mindset thinking, especially under pressure. An athlete who typically embraces challenges might suddenly fall into a fixed mindset when faced with a difficult skill, new competition for a place on a roster, or public scrutiny of their performance. Parents should recognize that their athletes are not permanently in one mindset but rather fluctuate between growth and fixed mindsets based on circumstances.
What Parents Can Do to Facilitate a Growth-Oriented Mindset
Recognize That Mindset Fluctuates
• Avoid labeling your athlete as having either a “growth mindset” or a “fixed mindset.” Everyone experiences moments of self-doubt, rigidity, and avoidance when faced with pressure. Help your child understand that they may approach some situations with a growth mindset and others with a fixed one. The important factor is becoming aware of which situations trigger a fixed mindset since awareness is the first step toward change.
• Normalize the experience. Share examples of times when you struggled with fixed thinking and how you overcame it, making it clear that even experienced athletes and professionals have mindset challenges.
Frame Setbacks as Learning Opportunities
• Instead of deflecting or dismissing an athlete’s disappointment or frustration, ask reflective questions such as:
• “What can you learn from this experience?”
• “How might you approach this differently next time?”
• Discuss challenges and setbacks productively. When an athlete says, “I’ll never be fast enough,” parents can gently challenge these fixed thoughts by using the word yet. Reframing the statement to “You haven’t made the time yet” shifts the athlete's focus toward progress and possibility (Dweck, 2014).
Shift Praise from Talent to Effort and Strategy
• Avoid phrases such as “You’re such a good athlete,” which imply the athlete is “naturally gifted” and can reinforce a belief that ability is fixed, innate, and unchangeable. Instead, focus on specific processes that show adaptability and growth, such as:
• “I noticed you took several shots with your left foot—how did that feel?”
• “You stayed focused when things got tough—that kind of perseverance will serve you well.”
• Encourage athletes to reflect on their own progress and track personal benchmarks rather than comparing themselves to others. Remind them that they are their own biggest competition. This is helpful for parents to keep in mind as well, since it’s easy to comment on teammates' talents.
Promote Mastery Goals Over Performance Goals
• Mastery or process goals focus on improving skills and generally involve behaviors within the athlete’s control. Performance or outcome goals revolve around winning or outperforming others, which involve elements outside of their control, like scoring goals.
• Help your athlete set personal development benchmarks rather than external expectations. Examples include tracking progress on endurance, evaluating precision, or developing tactical thinking rather than focusing solely on competition results.
• Reinforce that these things involve patience and perseverance. True growth comes from learning, adapting, and expanding capabilities over time.
Model Curiosity and Growth-Oriented Thinking
• Your own mindset shapes how your child perceives growth and development. Show them how you approach challenges with curiosity rather than fear.
• If they express frustration, guide them with open-ended questions rather than providing immediate solutions:
• “What have you tried so far?”
• “What’s one adjustment you could make?”
• Reinforce the idea that mastery is an evolving process, not a fixed trait they either have or don’t have.
Conclusion: A Partnership for Long-Term Growth Mindset Orientation
Fostering a growth mindset is not about shielding athletes from adversity but equipping them with the tools to interpret setbacks as learning opportunities rather than threats. When athletes learn to ask, “What can I take from this experience?” instead of “Does this mean I’m not good enough?”, they develop resilience that serves them well beyond sport (Fredricks & Eccles, 2004). Parents who embrace curiosity, encourage reflection, and model growth-oriented thinking create an environment where athletes feel safe to take risks and learn from failure. This mindset not only enhances athletic performance but also contributes to psychological well-being, motivation, and lifelong adaptability (Dweck, 2017). By partnering with their athletes in this way, parents become powerful allies in cultivating the kind of resilience and grit that sustain success—on and off the field.
References:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Dweck, C. S. (2014, November 13). The power of yet [Video]. TEDxNorrköping. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-swZaKN2Ic
Dweck, C. S. (2016). What having a “growth mindset” actually means. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means
Dweck, C. S. (2017). The journey to children’s mindsets—and beyond. Child Development Perspectives, 11(2), 139–144. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12225
Fredricks, J. A., & Eccles, J. S. (2004). Parental influences on youth involvement in sports. In M. R. Weiss (Ed.), Developmental sport and exercise psychology: A lifespan perspective (pp. 145 164). Fitness Information Technology.
Krakovsky, M. (2007, March/April). The effort effect. Stanford Magazine. The Effort Effect | STANFORD magazine
Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2020). What can be learned from growth mindset controversies? American Psychologist, 75(9), 1269–1284. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000794