Practicing with a Growth Mindset

Originally Pubished in the Texas Flute Society Newsletter, Spring 2021

By Denise Roper

What is a growth mindset and how can it be used to improve your flute playing? The notion of the growth mindset is based the on concepts outlined in the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. The book defines two types of mindsets. First is the fixed mindset, which is the belief that positive traits such as musical talent are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable. The growth mindset, in contrast, is a belief that abilities such as musicianship can be developed and strengthened by way of commitment and hard work.

A musician with a fixed mindset is focused on immutable traits, not taking risks, identifying with outcomes (i.e., "I am a failure," or "I am a success."), and rejecting feedback. In contrast, a musician with a growth mindset is one who is malleable, who takes risks, who values the effort put into being a good musician, and who accepts the feedback. In summary, the musician with a growth mindset is teachable. In addition, growth mindset performers are not threatened by but are inspired by the success of others.

Setting performance goals and keeping a practice journal are an essential part of developing a growth mindset. In addition to creating a written record of your daily practice sessions, document what you learned in private lessons, rehearsals, and performances. At the end of each entry, write a brief daily reflection that includes positive feedback, self-encouragement, and honest criticisms that are reframed in terms of productive action-based information. As a growth mindset performer, take risks in the practice room and try doing things a different way within your daily routine. Set performance goals months in advance whenever possible and reduce your stress level through early preparation. Reward yourself for reaching each new practice or performance goal. Keep a record of feedback you have received from your teachers, fellow performers, and audience members as well. Then after several months go back over your practice journal entries and examine how much you have grown as a performer.

Growth mindset performers may be inspired by the wisdom of cellist Pablo Casals who, when asked why he still practiced so much in his twilight years, responded “I think I am making progress." This wisdom is supported by the fact that we are all living beings who will continue to grow until our fleeting lifetimes expire, but it is our mindset that determines how much and in what manner we will grow.

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Denise Roper is a music educator, church musician, and aspiring amateur flutist from Louisiana who has served as the administrator of the “Etude of the Week—Amateur Flutist Edition” on Facebook since 2016.