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Is your student or child facing new frustrations in their learning journey? This episode is all about a powerful mindset shift that can change the way they approach challenges. We explore the importance of a growth mindset—a perspective that encourages students to see effort, setbacks, and mistakes as essential parts of learning and success instead of threats to their self-worth. This shift can be a game-changer, especially for young musicians, helping them build resilience, confidence, and a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Tune in for insights and tips on fostering a growth mindset in yourself and the young people in your life, inspired by Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking work on mindsets.
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music makes our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
Now that a new school year is fully underway, you may have noticed that the novelty of a particular learning experience has worn off for the student or child in your life – or maybe for yourself if you are in music lessons or in any other learning experience, like a new job. You may be noticing more frustration, emotional drama, or discouragement set in. This is prime time for a reminder of a concept that I vividly remember being introduced to for the first time. It was transformational for me as an educator, parent, and recovering perfectionist.
Today’s tip is crucial not just for musicians, but for anyone on a learning journey, and the tip is to recognize the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset. Psychologist Carol Dweck made these terms well-known through her book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” published in 2007.
A fixed mindset is the belief that our talents and abilities are set in stone—that we’re either “naturally” good at something or not, and failure is something to avoid as a negative indicator of one’s value. In contrast, a growth mindset means we see abilities as skills that can be developed through hard work, feedback, and learning from setbacks.
This mindset is especially important for young musicians. Music is complex, and learning and mastering the many layers of technique and expression are filled with challenges as the brain forges new neural pathways allowing ever-quicker and more precise communication to fingers, hands, and feet. The road to growth and skill is paved with frustrations and mistakes. When students adopt a growth mindset, they view these mistakes as valuable learning experiences instead of threats to their self-worth. And this mindset shift transforms the practice room into a space where they’re not just refining their skills but also building resilience and confidence.
Another implication of a fixed mindset is that, once we “find our passion,” this passion will have us in an endless state of “flow,” no motivation required. As soon as challenges arise, a person may determine this wasn’t their passion after all; otherwise it wouldn’t be difficult. A person with a growth mind-set, on the other hand, recognizes that anything worthwhile and rewarding requires effort, whether learning a musical instrument, parenting, or building a marriage. Passions can be developed and their pursuit enriches our lives.
Carol Dweck says: “Effort is one of the things that gives meaning to life. Effort means you care about something, that something is important to you and you are willing to work for it. It would be an impoverished existence if you were not willing to value things and commit yourself to working toward them.”
Parents and teachers play a vital role here. One simple and key way to begin instilling a growth mindset is to catch yourself before responding or reacting to a mistake OR success. A response that acknowledges a child’s hard work, perseverance, and willingness to try new approaches teaches them that effort and learning from failure are the building blocks to success.
Here are examples of praise that instill a growth mindset:
- “I appreciate that you keep pushing through challenges, even when it’s hard. Your effort is really paying off.”
- “That section is so tricky, but you played it slowly so many times that you’ve mastered it!”
- “I admire your consistent practicing. Look at how far you’ve come since you started this piece.”
On the contrary, praising talent or natural ability is well-intentioned but reinforces that performance is tied to innate ability and self worth (a fixed mindset). Here are examples of praise that instill a fixed mindset:
- “Wow, you’re so talented at this instrument! You didn’t even have to try!”
- “You’re a natural! Not everyone can play that piece so easily.”
- “You’re the best student in the class – you don’t even make mistakes!”
These types of comments (again, while well-intentioned) suggest that success is based on inherent ability rather than effort, which can make students avoid challenges for fear of losing that “gifted” label. They can also inculcate imposter syndrome, unhealthy perfectionism, and insecurity through a belief that my worth is based on what I achieve and impressing others.
An even more powerful way to instill a growth mindset in your students or children is to develop and model it in your own life. When parents allow their kids to see them make mistakes and respond constructively, it shows that everyone, regardless of age or experience, is a lifelong learner. Welcoming feedback and owning mistakes without becoming defensive helps students see that setbacks aren’t signs of failure or inadequacy; they’re opportunities for growth and resilience.
The growth mindset is a life-enhancing perspective that values progress rather than perfectionism, and promotes curiosity rather than fear. So the next time you hit a wrong note (literally in music or figurately in another area of life), frame it as a clue to what needs attention—a chance to play detective, experiment, and create a solution. This approach builds confidence and establishes lifelong habits that go far beyond music.
I’ll include a link in the show notes to Carol Dweck’s book, as well as a few other of my favorite books that reference or build on these concepts:
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know, by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
- Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth
- Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning, by Tom Vanderbilt (featured in Ep. 76)
- How Music Can Make You Better, by Indre Viskontas (featured in Ep. 35)
- Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink
Before closing, I want to give a quick shoutout to the Guiding The Next Generation summit. I’m thrilled to be part of this FREE summit for parents that is all about helping you unlock your child’s creativity and guide them toward their unique purpose. This 10-day online event began on November 10, but it’s asynchronous and you can sign up for the summit even after it has started. I’ll be speaking alongside some incredible experts sharing practical strategies that will help you nurture your child’s gifts. Just click on this link to claim your spot and feel free to share the link with others.
In closing: If you’ve discovered a unique way to instill a growth mindset in yourself or the young people in your life, I’d love to hear about it.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
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