Ever wondered what it is about the likes of Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and Celine Dion that got them their successes in life? Was it their natural talent? Superior intelligence? Or perhaps the opportunities they took along the way?
Undoubtedly, these factors have contributed to their later successes, but what sets successful people apart from those who never stood close to their dreams is their growth mindset.
A growth mindset challenges you to develop your existing talents and, at the same time, nurture new ones. With this, you set yourself up for success from a place of ambition and purpose.
Below are notable traits of people with a growth mindset. Check if you possess any of these traits!
You Know Your Whys
What’s hard work and perseverance without an end goal? Purpose, dream, ambition – these are drivers towards success. Without a plan, hard work is nothing. So, plan and dream a little bit bigger each day! Every day is as meaningful as the next when you set your heart towards a dream.
You Have Confidence
You know who they are. Successful individuals empower their intelligence, talents, and skills. Other people’s success doesn’t discourage them or make them feel doubtful or insecure, but challenges them to improve on their blind spots and weaknesses!
You Have Relentless Optimism.
People committed to personal and professional growth embrace adversities with a hopeful and confident outlook. They stop dwelling on their negative experiences and start looking forward to all the good things that could happen.
You Possess a Mentality of Abundance
“There aren’t enough opportunities for me” is just a figment of your imagination! To live the life you want, you have to believe that there is no scarcity in possibilities. Keep finding potential in yourself and your environment. Remember, you attract what you think! So think of opportunities, and they will come!
You Forgive but never Forget.
The journey towards your dreams is a bumpy one. You’ll stumble. Make mistakes. Regret a few decisions. But most of all, you’ll learn. So, always forgive yourself when you fall, but never forget the lesson it wishes to imprint on you. Failure, as the saying goes, will keep you wiser.
You Offer Quick Solutions
A growth person is well aware that they have to get acquainted with crafting solutions out of thin air. You must understand that obstacles are unavoidable, so, certainly, lamenting over a failed decision won’t get you moving forward but back. So accept setbacks with care, and start discussing the next best solution to take!

Source: Clear light bulb
You are always taking the leap.
Stop sitting idle and leap! Don’t you think you’re skilled enough? Or perhaps you feel a little too old for trying out new things? It doesn’t matter! Your dreams will remain beyond reach until you believe that taking risks will get you to your destination. No one ever got close to success, thinking it was all possible within their comfort zone.
You fulfill your promises.
Do you think well-known professional sports players achieved their dream by slacking off most of the time and skipping their training days? The answer is no! To get to your dream, you have to put in the time, effort, and energy. Keep yourself disciplined and focused while still taking breaks in between. And stop giving yourself promises you can’t even keep!
A Growth Mindset is a Secret to Success
When taking a chance towards growth, we find that our comfort zones can be tempting sometimes. We fear dealing with unfamiliar environments and challenges, quickly destroyed when in our comfort zones.
But these feelings – doubt, fear, and anxiety – are associated with growth that brings us closer to our dreams than ever before. Why? Because we’re taking more risks, learning new skills, expanding our knowledge, and even building connections!

Source: Dart on a board
Success is not within reach when you’re sitting around and thinking that your current environment, current job (that you might even secretly hate), and current social groups are enough to get you forward. The more you take on new, although uncomfortable and nerve-wracking, opportunities, the faster you are towards your dream!