Use this worksheet to engage actively with the 7 core ideas. Write your own thoughts, complete the practice tasks, and answer the reflection questions. There are no right answers – only your answers.
Name
Date
Re-read on
01
The Two Mindsets
Fixed or growth. You choose every day.
A fixed mindset believes abilities are carved in stone. A growth mindset believes they can be developed. This single belief shapes everything.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Pay attention to your inner voice this week. When you face a challenge, does it say 'I can't do this' or 'I can't do this yet'? The word 'yet' is not a platitude – it's a reframe that literally changes the neural pathway you're reinforcing.
I tried this this week
Reflect
Is there an area of your life where you've told yourself you're simply not talented enough?
02
The Meaning of Effort
Effort is not a sign of weakness. It's the path.
In a fixed mindset, effort means you're not naturally talented. In a growth mindset, effort is how talent is built.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Choose something you've been avoiding because you're not 'naturally good' at it. Do it badly for 30 minutes. Notice that doing it badly is not failure – it's the beginning of getting better. The fixed mindset says you've revealed your limitation. The growth mindset says you've started building a ski...
I tried this this week
Reflect
Think of something you're avoiding because you believe you're not naturally good at it. Is that belief a fact?
03
Failure as Information
Failure is data. Not identity.
In a fixed mindset, failure defines you. In a growth mindset, failure informs you. Same event – completely different meaning.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Think of a recent failure. Write down three things you learned from it – not what went wrong, but what you now know that you didn't before. Then ask: what would you do differently next time? This is the growth mindset response to failure: information extraction, not self-judgment.
I tried this this week
Reflect
Think of your most recent significant failure. Did you extract lessons from it – or move on as fast as possible?
04
The Power of Praise
Praise the process. Not the person.
How you praise someone determines whether you give them confidence or fragility. Process praise builds resilience. Person praise builds dependency.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Notice how you praise people this week – colleagues, children, partners, yourself. Is the praise about who they are or what they did? Try replacing 'you're brilliant' with 'that approach was really smart.' Replace 'I'm terrible at this' with 'I haven't learned this yet.'
I tried this this week
Reflect
How do you praise people closest to you? Is it about who they are or what they did?
Fixed mindset people find a perfect partner and expect perfection to continue. Growth mindset people build a relationship through ongoing effort and honest communication.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Identify one ongoing tension in an important relationship. Instead of asking 'are we compatible?', ask 'what could we both do differently?' The growth mindset assumes the relationship can develop – which makes it far more likely that it will.
I tried this this week
Reflect
Is there a relationship in your life you've written off as incompatible that might actually just need work?
06
Mindset in Leadership
Fixed leaders protect their genius. Growth leaders develop others.
Fixed mindset leaders need to be the smartest person in the room. Growth mindset leaders build rooms full of people who are smarter than them.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Think of a recent decision you made without consulting others because you already knew the answer. Was there genuinely no value in hearing other perspectives? Or did you skip the conversation because being the one with the answer felt better than finding the best answer?
I tried this this week
Reflect
When did you last ask someone smarter than you for their honest opinion – and genuinely listen?
07
False Growth Mindset
Saying it isn't enough. You have to live it.
The growth mindset is not a label. It's a practice. And most people who think they have it, don't – not fully.
What does this mean to me?
In practice
Identify one area of your life where you claim to have a growth mindset but actually behave with a fixed one. Maybe you say you're open to feedback but get defensive when you receive it. Maybe you encourage others to take risks but play it safe yourself. The growth mindset is only real when it opera...
I tried this this week
Reflect
Where do you claim to have a growth mindset but actually behave with a fixed one?
Core message
The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.
Before you decide
"Is there an area of your life where you tell yourself you're just not talented enough – and have stopped trying?"