Adopting a Growth Mindset: 10 Unexpected Shifts I Experienced in 90 Days

I remember the exact day I said, “This would be the week”, and I have said it a gazillion times! On a Monday morning, I woke up early and felt surprisingly inspired. Before I went to work out, I put out my workout clothes, made a bunch of healthy lunches, and even saved some Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes on my phone. I got to the gym early (6 a.m.) and worked out, telling myself, “This time I’m going to stick with it.”

On Wednesday, the story took a turn that was easy to see coming. I had stayed up late the night before watching a new show all at once, so I missed my workout. I was really busy by Thursday, and I told myself I’d “make up for it on the weekend.” It was Friday, and all I could feel was sadness and anger. It was like I had never been able to break out of the loop of stop-and-go, excitement followed by burnout followed by guilt.

You’re not the only one who has heard this trend before. I’ve started and stopped so many exercise plans that I lost track. Every time, I said it was because I wasn’t motivated or because my schedule was too busy. But in the last few months, I learned about the idea of a growth mindset, which actually helped me break free. At that moment, I stopped asking myself, “Why do I keep failing?” I asked, “How can I see these setbacks differently, and what can I learn from them?” All of my life changed because of those simple words. I used to dread every workout, but now I’m looking forward to pushing myself and enjoying every little…