Growth Mindset Books: 10 Key Reads to Foster Positive Change

Reading Time: 14 minutes

Unleashing potential and fostering personal and professional growth is a journey that begins with developing the right mindset. If you’re looking to instill a can-do spirit and unlock untapped possibilities, growth mindset books can be a game-changer. 

We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best growth mindset books that offer in-depth knowledge, practical insights, and inspiring stories to help you cultivate resilience, embrace challenges, and consistently evolve. 

As a valuable tip, when delving into these books, engage with an open mind and a willingness to question and reshape your current beliefs. This active engagement is a crucial part of harnessing the transformative power of the growth mindset. 

Let’s explore this enriching literary journey together.

What are the Best Growth Mindset Books?

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Transform your life and achieve your dreams with our 90-Day Goal Planner Journal, the ultimate tool for setting and tracking your personal and professional goals.

With the YLB 90 Day Goal Planner Journal, you can:

  • Plan & track your goals & dreams through a comprehensive 90-day framework
  • Align your personal and business goals with your core values, ensuring a balanced and fulfilling journey
  • Break through limiting beliefs and unlock your full potential by addressing the obstacles that hold you back
  • Benefit from regular reflection and adjustment, enabling continuous growth and improvement in your entrepreneurial pursuits
  • Strengthen your commitment and accountability by tracking your progress and celebrating your achievements along the way
  • Dare yourself to dream bigger and reach new heights in your personal and professional life

Grab the planner now and get $100 OFF my brand new video course 'The Solopreneur Success Formula' plus free downloadable printables, partner offers and lots more!

1. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

“Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” is a groundbreaking work from renowned psychologist Carol S. Dweck, the originator of the concept of “growth mindset.” This updated edition of her million-copy growth mindset books offer transformative insights into redefining success, fostering lifelong resilience, and supercharging self-improvement.

Dweck’s decades of research led to a simple yet revolutionary idea: the power of mindset. This book elucidates how our beliefs about our abilities significantly influence our learning and life paths. She demonstrates that those with a fixed mindset, who believe abilities are static, are less likely to thrive than those with a growth mindset, who understand that abilities can be developed.

The book shows how parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can harness this idea to promote outstanding achievement. In this edition, Dweck introduces the concept of false growth mindset and guides readers towards a deeper, authentic growth mindset. She extends the application of mindset beyond the individual to group and organizational cultures.

Through the lens of the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love, thereby transforming their lives and your own. “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” is a testament to the tremendous influence our mindset exerts on every area of human endeavor, from school and work to sports and the arts.

2. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

“Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” is a #1 New York Times bestselling book by Adam Grant. It has been highly praised by Brené Brown, Ph.D., the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dare to Lead, who declared that this book is exactly what’s needed in the current times.

Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, top-rated professor at Wharton, and the bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, has created an engaging and insightful work examining the critical art of rethinking. This involves learning to question your opinions, opening other people’s minds, and positioning oneself for excellence at work and wisdom in life.

Traditionally, intelligence is seen as the ability to think and learn. However, in our rapidly changing world, Grant argues that there’s another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. Too often, we favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt, listening to opinions that make us feel good, rather than ideas that challenge us to think harder.

Grant explores how we often perceive disagreement as a threat to our egos, instead of seeing it as an opportunity to learn. We tend to surround ourselves with people who agree with us rather than those who challenge our thought process, leading our beliefs to become rigid and inflexible.

Through a series of compelling stories and rigorous evidence, Grant shows readers how to embrace the joy of being wrong, bring nuance to charged conversations, and build lifelong learning communities. You’ll learn from various interesting anecdotes, such as how an international debate champion wins arguments, a Black musician persuades white supremacists to abandon hate, a vaccine whisperer convinces concerned parents to immunize their children, and how Grant himself has managed to persuade Yankees fans to root for the Red Sox.

“Think Again” invites us to let go of views that no longer serve us well and value mental flexibility over foolish consistency. It reveals that we don’t have to believe everything we think or internalize everything we feel. If knowledge is power, then knowing what we don’t know is wisdom. This book is an intellectual and emotional workout intended to strengthen your ability to rethink and unlearn.

3. Growth Mindset: The Unstoppable You

Growth Mindset The Unstoppable You

“Unlock Your True Potential: Embrace Positive Change and Ignite Personal Growth” is a powerful guide designed to facilitate positive transformation, shatter self-limiting beliefs, stimulate personal growth, and propel you towards success. This book provides clear, easy-to-follow, practical information needed to reveal your real capabilities, eliminating the need to wade through unnecessary content.

The book enables you to master the art of overcoming self-doubt, welcoming positive change, and thinking with clarity. It equips you with potent techniques to reprogram your mind, alter negative thought patterns, unlock your true potential, set precise goals, nurture a positive mindset, and take inspired actions towards the life you earnestly desire.

The book serves as a step-by-step guide with activity prompts that fast-track your journey towards unleashing your full potential. It not only helps you understand the techniques explained but also aids in implementing them immediately. Utilize the specially designed self-reflection activities within this book to commence your journey towards evolving into the confident, successful, and fulfilled individual you were destined to be.

4. Rise Above, Be Unstoppable

cover design of the teen growth mindset book by Ariana Smith

“Rise Above, Be Unstoppable!” is one of the groundbreaking growth mindset books designed to help teenagers unlock the power of a positive growth mindset, leading to resilience and happiness. As you navigate the challenging path to adulthood and face numerous changes, this book serves as an invaluable tool, helping you cope with high expectations and self-doubt.

Struggling with schoolwork, maintaining focus and motivation, setting priorities, and managing time effectively are common issues among teens. This book assures you that you are not alone in these struggles and provides practical strategies for overcoming them.

“Rise Above, Be Unstoppable!” offers insights into how a fixed mindset might be limiting you and how a growth mindset can transform your life. It demonstrates how teens can foster strong connections, lifelong friendships, self-confidence, and future prospects. The book will guide you in identifying your strengths and talents, using them to master essential life skills for success.

Featuring real-life examples, practical strategies, and engaging activities, this guide will help you develop a problem-solving attitude, face challenges head-on, and stand out in a crowd. It aims to empower you to rise above any obstacles that come your way, making it an excellent gift for teenagers.

For parents, “Rise Above, Be Unstoppable!” provides a useful resource to support your teen’s growth mindset journey, aiding in cultivating a positive, resilient attitude against challenges. As you embark on this transformative journey, your future awaits. Are you ready for the challenge?

5. I Can’t Do That, YET: Growth Mindset

I Can't Do That, YET Growth Mindset

Another offering in a series of growth mindest books by an author, “I Can’t Do That, YET: Enna’s Journey to Self-Confidence” is an inspiring tale of a shy girl named Enna who doubts her abilities. She believes she’s incapable of reading during bedtime, a task she deems too daunting. However, everything changes when she drifts into a dream populated by versions of her future self – a wonderful woman who is incredibly familiar and accomplished.

This journey across her dreamscape opens her eyes to her true potential and all the things she’s capable of learning. But Enna is aware that growth demands patience, knowledge, and dedication.

The question is, can she learn to face challenges with optimism and courage?

This engaging book, penned by Esther Pia Cordova, is a valuable tool to combat gender stereotypes and other barriers. It provides insightful perspectives on self-limiting beliefs that can hinder children’s progress. By dismantling unhealthy thought processes, Cordova advocates a bold, proactive approach to living life to the fullest.

“I Can’t Do That, YET” is the uplifting inaugural story in the Growth Mindset children’s picture book series. If you or your child enjoy motivational tales, transforming negative patterns, and beautiful visual learning experiences, you’ll appreciate Esther Pia Cordova’s encouraging narrative.

Purchase “I Can’t Do That, YET” today and help your child stand taller, filled with confidence and resilience. Make it one of your growth mindset books today!

6. Growth Mindset Workbook for Kids

Growth Mindset Workbook for Kids

“The Growth Mindset Workbook for Kids” – one of the few growth mindset books written for children- is an interactive and stimulating activity book suitable for children aged 8 to 12. This book aims to help kids cultivate a growth mindset, training their brains to develop innovative problem-solving skills through practice and perseverance. The ultimate goal is to foster a resilient “can-do” attitude and celebrate mistakes as stepping stones to success.

Filled with exciting activities and straightforward exercises, this comprehensive workbook for kids is an excellent tool for mastering any task with a little effort and motivation. Children embark on the rewarding journey of dreaming big, making blunders, and strengthening their minds—just like exercising a muscle. It’s time for kids to uncover the incredible things they can achieve—with a growth mindset, their mission is attainable!

Setting this workbook apart from others on the topic, it features:

  1. Kid-friendly Focus: It provides an easy-to-understand introduction to the basics and benefits of a growth mindset.
  2. 55 Creative Exercises: The workbook includes engaging activities and open-ended questions designed to help kids reflect on and adopt a growth mindset.
  3. Success Stories: Real-life stories are shared about kids who have used a growth mindset to achieve their goals.

Cultivating a can-do attitude and realizing success begins with nurturing a growth mindset in children. “The Growth Mindset Workbook for Kids” is the ideal companion for this journey.

7. A Growth Mindset For Teens

A Growth Mindset For Teens

“Growth Mindset for Teens” is your comprehensive guide to cultivating resilience, persistence, and inner strength as you face the unique challenges of emerging adulthood. This is one of the compelling growth mindset books designed specifically for teenagers, this book seeks to guide you through the transition period between childhood and adulthood.

Teens often grapple with mounting pressures from parents, teachers, and peers. One of several growth mindset books, this guide recognizes the all-too-familiar and overwhelming “what-if” questions and anxieties that may inundate your mind, affecting your well-being, school performance, and relationships. You are not alone in this struggle, and this guide is here to help you navigate these turbulent times.

By embracing a growth mindset, you can explore your potential and unlock the best version of yourself. This book provides easy-to-follow strategies for developing a mindset that nurtures growth and turns fear of the future into faith in yourself.

Inside, you will discover:

  1. An In-Depth Understanding of Growth Mindset: Understand what a growth mindset is, how it differs from a fixed mindset, and how it can be cultivated. Plus, we debunk common misconceptions about growth mindsets.
  2. Brain Rewiring Techniques: Learn how to foster growth and boost neuroplasticity for improved brain health and resilience.
  3. Thought Reframing Techniques: Discover the importance of reframing your thoughts, living with your inner critic, and transforming negativity into positivity.
  4. Strengths and Limiting Beliefs: Understand the need to identify your strengths to help you break free from limiting beliefs and move from your comfort zone into the growth zone.
  5. Role of Self-Compassion, Empathy, and Gratitude: Learn how these traits can support you in bouncing back from challenges.
  6. Stress Management Skills: Acquire skills for emotion regulation, problem-solving, and time management to reduce stress and increase productivity.
  7. 31-Day Growth Mindset Challenges: Engage in fun and enlightening challenges to help you achieve your goals ASAP.

The fact is, your success in life often stems not from your innate talent, intelligence, or skills, but from your mindset. It’s your mindset that determines whether you give up or try again, rest on your laurels or push yourself further. Cultivate the right mindset and watch how it transforms your life.

If you’re ready to embark on a journey of self-improvement, starting with your mindset, this book is for you!

8. The Growth Mindset

cover design of the second edition book on growth written by Joshua Moore and Helen Glasgow

Discover the interconnectedness of personal and professional growth in “The Synergy of Growth: Mastering Personal and Professional Development.” This is one of the key growth mindset books that serves as an ultimate guide in bridging the gap between personal evolution and career advancement, offering a comprehensive view of growth that is applicable in all aspects of life.

Co-authored by a personal growth researcher and life coach, and a top business executive who also imparts “soft” business skills, this book uniquely combines their expertise to provide insightful and practical strategies for growth. Whether you’re looking to grow personally or professionally, this book offers a blend of theory and action plans to ensure success in your growth development efforts.

Here’s what you can expect to learn from this book:

  1. The Balancing Act of Personal Growth: Understand how to create balance in your life to achieve holistic growth.
  2. Growing your Career to its Maximum Potential: Unleash strategies to optimize your career growth and reach your professional goals.
  3. Being Lonely vs. Being Alone: Explore the difference between loneliness and solitude, and how understanding this distinction can support your growth.
  4. How Personality Affects Growth Development: Learn how your personality traits can influence your growth journey and how to leverage them for your benefit.
  5. Networking vs. Collaboration: Delve into the differences between networking and collaboration, and understand how both can contribute to your personal and professional growth.
  6. Social and “Soft” Skills Development: Master the soft skills that can boost your career and improve your relationships, from communication to emotional intelligence.

Designed to be a practical guide, “The Synergy of Growth: Mastering Personal and Professional Development” equips you with strategies to craft a personalized growth plan that will set you on the path to achieving all your growth goals. Embark on this enlightening journey of growth today!

9. The Growth Mindset Coach

cover design of the book by Annie Brock and Heather Hundley

“Empowering Learners: A Teacher’s Guide to Fostering a Growth Mindset” is one of today’s relevant growth mindset books that serves as a comprehensive guide for educators looking to integrate growth mindset strategies into their classrooms. This growth mindset book is created by teachers for teachers, offering an arsenal of innovative and creative lessons, empowering messages, and engaging teaching methods that encourage students to believe in their abilities and strive for growth.

The book includes:

  1. A Month-by-Month Program: An organized plan providing educators with a year’s worth of growth mindset strategies and activities.
  2. Research-Based Activities: Hands-on activities grounded in academic research, designed to engage students and encourage a growth mindset.
  3. Hands-On Lesson Plans: Ready-to-use lesson plans that inspire creativity and innovation while reinforcing the principles of a growth mindset.
  4. Real-Life Educator Stories: Inspirational stories from fellow educators sharing their experiences and success stories in implementing a growth mindset in their classrooms.
  5. Constructive Feedback: Techniques on how to provide constructive feedback that promotes growth and encourages students to stretch beyond their comfort zones.
  6. Sample Parent Letters: Examples of communication to parents, reinforcing the growth mindset philosophy and encouraging its adoption at home.

Research has consistently shown that fostering a growth mindset in students can lead to higher test scores, improved grades, and increased in-class participation. When students understand that their intelligence and abilities are not limited, they are more likely to take risks, embrace challenges, and achieve academic success.

“Empowering Learners: A Teacher’s Guide to Fostering a Growth Mindset” is the ultimate resource for educators who believe in the power of growth mindset and aim to cultivate resilient, confident, and successful learners. Transform your classroom and empower your students by embracing the growth mindset today!

10. The Growth Mindset Workbook

cover design of the growth mindset workbook

“The Growth Mindset Workbook” is a transformative guide aimed at helping you break free from self-limiting beliefs and embrace your full potential. If you’ve ever felt held back by feelings of inadequacy or feared failure when facing new opportunities or challenges, you may be experiencing a “fixed mindset.” On the other hand, a “growth mindset” is the belief that you can improve your abilities and learn from your mistakes. This makes it one of the must-read growth mindset books today.

Built on the principles from Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking work “Mindset,” this workbook utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to shift your mindset towards growth and learning. By helping you shed unhelpful and self-limiting attitudes, this workbook encourages you to replace them with a growth mindset, enhancing your resiliency, boosting your self-confidence, and providing a foundation for a meaningful and values-based life.

The most crucial point to note is that a growth mindset can be learned. By doing so, it can profoundly influence how you think, feel, and act in response to life’s challenges. If you’re prepared to accept life’s trials and maximize your potential, this step-by-step guide offers the tools and guidance you need to facilitate this transformative journey. Embrace a growth mindset and unlock your capacity for growth, resilience, and lifelong learning.

Best Growth Mindset Books – Summary

Growth mindset books are a veritable treasure trove of insights, brimming with actionable wisdom and life-altering perspective shifts. Each book on our top ten list is a powerful tool that can help you reshape your thought patterns, bolster resilience, and ignite a journey of constant self-improvement.

To enhance your experience with these books and further support your growth mindset journey, we recommend checking out the YLB 90-day journal. Designed to complement the principles found in these books, the YLB journal encourages daily reflection, goal-setting, and self-accountability, providing an invaluable resource for your ongoing personal development. 

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With the combination of these compelling reads and the YLB journal, you’re well equipped to start shaping your future with a growth mindset today.

YLB 90 Day Goal Setting Planner

Your Lifestyle Business 90 Day Goal Setting Planner

 

Unlock Your Potential with the 90-Day Goal Planner Journal

Transform your life and achieve your dreams with our 90-Day Goal Planner Journal, the ultimate tool for setting and tracking your personal and professional goals.

With the YLB 90 Day Goal Planner Journal, you can:

  • Plan & track your goals & dreams through a comprehensive 90-day framework
  • Align your personal and business goals with your core values, ensuring a balanced and fulfilling journey
  • Break through limiting beliefs and unlock your full potential by addressing the obstacles that hold you back
  • Benefit from regular reflection and adjustment, enabling continuous growth and improvement in your entrepreneurial pursuits
  • Strengthen your commitment and accountability by tracking your progress and celebrating your achievements along the way
  • Dare yourself to dream bigger and reach new heights in your personal and professional life

Grab the planner now and get $100 OFF my brand new video course 'The Solopreneur Success Formula' plus free downloadable printables, partner offers and lots more!

Best Growth Mindset Books – FAQs

What are notable books about creating a growth mindset?

Some of the most acclaimed books on this topic include “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck, “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant, and “I Can’t Do That, YET: by Esther P. Cordova. Each of these offers unique insights and practical tips on fostering a growth mindset.

What is an expected outcome of a growth mindset?

A growth mindset encourages continuous learning and resilience in the face of adversity. This perspective can lead to improved problem-solving skills, greater self-confidence, enhanced performance in various life domains, and overall increased life satisfaction.

How do I develop such a mindset?

Developing a growth mindset involves recognizing and challenging your existing beliefs about your capabilities. It’s about embracing challenges as opportunities for learning, understanding the value of effort, seeking and applying constructive feedback, and viewing the success of others as inspiration.

What are the key benefits of a growth mindset?

A growth mindset can help improve resilience, enhance problem-solving capabilities, foster continuous learning, boost self-esteem, and promote a more positive and proactive attitude towards personal and professional development.

Can a growth mindset be developed at any age?

Absolutely! A growth mindset can be developed at any age. It’s all about fostering an open mind, a love for learning, and a positive attitude towards challenges and setbacks.

How can books on growth mindset aid in personal development?

Growth mindset books provide theoretical knowledge, practical exercises, and inspiring stories that can reshape your perception of your abilities. They can help you embrace challenges, persevere in the face of setbacks, and see effort as a path to mastery.

Are there specific growth mindset books for children?

Yes, several growth mindset books are specifically designed for children. They use engaging narratives and illustrations to introduce children to the concept of growth mindset. Titles include “Your Fantastic Elastic Brain” by JoAnn Deak and “The Most Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires.

What is the role of the YLB 90-day journal in cultivating a growth mindset?

The YLB 90-day journal is designed to complement the principles found in growth mindset books. It encourages daily reflection, goal setting, and self-accountability, providing a structured way to apply and reinforce a growth mindset in everyday life.

How can I ensure that I’m effectively applying the principles of such mindset?

Consider setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with your growth mindset. Regular self-reflection, seeking feedback, and continuous learning are also vital. Using tools like the YLB 90-day journal can support this process.

Is this principle beneficial only in professional settings, or can it impact other areas of life?

A growth mindset is not only beneficial in professional settings; it can significantly impact all areas of life. It can improve personal relationships, promote better mental health, enhance physical health through a proactive approach to wellness, and boost overall life satisfaction.

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