You’ve probably heard the term growth mindset—but knowing what it is and knowing how to actually start one are two very different things.
When I began freelancing, I realized I didn’t just need new skills—I needed a new way of thinking. I kept getting stuck not because I wasn’t capable, but because I was afraid to mess up, look unqualified, or admit I didn’t know something.
In this guide, I’ll share what a growth mindset really means and the exact steps that helped me go from stuck and uncertain to learning, improving, and building confidence over time.
What Is a Growth Mindset—Really?
A growth mindset is the belief that your skills, intelligence, and abilities can improve with effort, learning, and persistence. It’s the opposite of a fixed mindset, where you believe your traits are set in stone.
The difference seems small, but it affects everything—from how you handle failure to how you react when something doesn’t come easily.
My Freelance Reality Check
When I started freelancing, I was excited—and terrified. I didn’t know how to pitch clients, set prices, or even write a contract. Every mistake felt like proof that I wasn’t cut out for it.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was stuck in a fixed mindset. Every challenge felt personal. Every rejection felt final. I was scared to try new platforms, raise my rates, or publish my work publicly.
What changed everything was this mindset shift: “I’m not bad at this—I’m just not good at it yet.” That’s when I really started to develop a growth mindset.
How to Start a Growth Mindset (Step-by-Step)
If you want to begin shifting how you think, here are some real, practical ways to start a growth mindset:
1. Notice Your Inner Dialogue
Pay attention to your self-talk. Do you say things like:
“I’m just not creative.”
“I’ll never be good at this.”
“I’m terrible at sales.”
Each time you catch that fixed mindset voice, reframe it:
“I’m learning how to be more creative.”
“I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Sales is a skill I can improve.”
Reframing is the first brick in building a growth mindset.
2. Track Progress, Not Perfection
When I was learning how to write better pitches, I tracked how many I sent—not how many got accepted. That shift helped me focus on growth instead of outcomes.
Whatever you’re learning, celebrate consistency, not results. That’s how a growth mindset takes root.
3. Make Failure Part of the Process
Failure used to crush me. Now, I treat it like feedback. Didn’t land the client? I look at my email and ask what I can tweak next time. Got negative comments on a blog post? Cool—I’m being seen.
Each failure is an opportunity to strengthen your growth mindset. Don’t run from them—study them.
4. Surround Yourself with Growth-Minded People
You can’t build a growth mindset in isolation. Whether it’s online communities, mastermind groups, or even YouTube channels—exposure to growth-minded people rewires your thinking.
Watching others share their learning process helped me normalize mistakes, stay motivated, and keep experimenting in my freelance journey.
5. Use Micro-Challenges to Stretch Yourself
Growth happens when you get just outside your comfort zone—not miles beyond it. Start with small, simple challenges that shake up your routine:
Speak up in a group conversation even if you’re nervous.
Try a new recipe instead of making your usual go-to.
Take a different route home or walk in a new neighborhood.
Say “I don’t know” without feeling ashamed—and then go look it up.
Do one thing differently every day, even if it’s small. These tiny daily shifts train your brain to expect growth, not perfection—and that’s exactly how a growth mindset is built.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need to “Feel Ready”
The truth is, you won’t feel fully ready to start a growth mindset. But you don’t have to wait for confidence—you build it through action.
I didn’t wake up one day with a growth mindset. I built it, failure by failure, experiment by experiment. Now, it’s the foundation that supports my freelance career, creative projects, and personal life.
If you’re new to this way of thinking, take heart: a growth mindset is something you grow into—one thought, one risk, one small win at a time.