Across domains like sports, academics, and business, having a "growth mindset" - the belief that effort tends to lead to better outcomes, that persistence can be used to overcome obstacles, and that failure is an opportunity to learn - predicts performance and outcomes.

The opposite approach - the "fixed mindset" - is based on the idea that talent propels outcomes, and that failure is an indictment of that talent.

In sport and business, failure is inevitable - so we'd do well to focus on cultivating a mastery approach to the process, which we know will lead to better outcomes personally and professionally.

But how do we know if someone will engage in any of these "mastery behaviors" that are associated with a growth mindset, anyway?

It starts with intellectual humility

Intellectual humility is the idea that someone is willing to acknowledge the limitations of their own knowledge and respects and values that others might have their own knowledge to contribute. Rather than focusing on proving themselves as right or being a "know-it-all," the intellectually humble person is focused on being accurate.