S1E5 The Moment Yinz Start Thinking Growth is Possible, You're Already on Your Way!

That little word "yet" might be the most powerful tool in your mental toolkit. When you catch yourself saying "I can't do this," adding "yet" transforms limitation into possibility—opening the door to growth where you once saw only roadblocks.

In this reflective conversation, we explore the science and practical application of developing a growth mindset based on Dr. Carol Dweck's groundbreaking research. Rather than viewing abilities as fixed traits written in permanent marker ("I'll never be a morning person," "I can't do math"), we discover how adopting the belief that we can develop through effort, learning, and persistence literally rewires the neural pathways in our brains.

We share personal stories of how this mindset shift made all the difference in our own journeys—from recovering from medical challenges to showing up consistently for difficult spin classes when we're dead last.

 The magic happens when we embrace challenges as opportunities to stretch ourselves and view mistakes not as failures but as valuable data points guiding our next steps.

The beauty of a growth mindset lies in its universal application. Whether you're trying to learn a new skill, heal a relationship, or navigate life's inevitable setbacks, reframing your thoughts from frustration to curiosity creates space for genuine progress. 

We explore practical strategies for cultivating this perspective: celebrating small wins regularly, surrounding yourself with growth-oriented people, and setting healthy boundaries that create room for personal development.

Ready to transform how you approach challenges? Join us to discover why progress—even in slow motion—is still progress, and how embracing the journey rather than fixating solely on destinations leads to deeper fulfillment and resilience in every area of life.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to This Is It Podcast
• 4:26 Understanding Growth vs Fixed Mindset
• 10:58 Applying Growth Mindset to Challenges
• 17:08 Building Better Relationships Through Mindset
• 20:13 Practical Steps to Develop Growth Mindset

Transcript

Sherry: 0:00

Welcome back to this. Is it the podcast by Thriving Yinzers where we're talking about life, its ups, its downs and how to keep moving forward through it all? Because, well, this is it, before we get into it, a reminder that we're just two Yinzer ladies here shooting the shit, talking about life. We're not licensed therapists or counselors or medical professionals. So if you are going through something and need support, we really encourage you to reach out to someone qualified who can help you through it. There's no shame. All right, let's get into it.

Jodi: 0:26

Today we're talking about something that can seriously change the game when it comes to handling the hard stuff and making progress in life, having a growth mindset.

Sherry: 0:34

You've probably heard this term before and actually we know you've heard this term before if you've been listening to our podcast. There's plenty that has been said about how a growth mindset can be the difference in what moves you forward or holds you back. So there's good reason for it, to the credit of the work of Stanford psychologist Dr Carol Dweck. Her research showed how a shift in your mindset literally prepares you to learn and grow forward by rewiring the thought pathways in your brain. A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and talents can develop with effort, with learning, with persistence, and by having this framework of thought you're really priming the pathways in your brain to achieve something more.

Sherry: 1:14

And, as we were doing the last episode with Dr Anthony Kovatch, this idea really tied in If you know Dr Kovatch or if you've listened to the episode. He is a very inspiring person, very special man, and he's accomplished so much in his life. He's now training for a triathlon at 74 years old. That doesn't happen with a fixed mindset , no way. That's someone who believes in progress, even when it's hard, and it shows that mindset isn't just something that you read about. It really is something that quite literally shapes your recovery, your resilience and even your reality.

Jodi: 1:52

Right. So, a growth mindset is the opposite of that fixed mindset where we believe our traits are set in stone, like I can't do math, I'll never be a morning person, I can't work out. Whatever it is. You're telling yourself that narrative and it's as if we've decided our abilities are written in permanent marker, completely unchangeable. But most things can improve with effort and the right approach. Maybe you have struggled with math in the past, but it doesn't mean that you can't figure it out and get better.

Jodi: 2:21

Maybe mornings aren't your thing, but have you really given it a shot? Or have you just said I'm not a morning person? Let that be your excuse and hit the snooze button over and over again before you even let your feet hit the floor. A growth mindset flips that script. Instead of saying I can't do this, it becomes I can't do this yet. Instead of I'll never be a morning person. It's mornings are tough, but maybe if I get out of bed a little bit earlier and find a routine that works, I can make them better. It's realizing change is possible, one small step at a time.

Sherry: 2:57

I heard similar phrases a lot in the classroom, especially as a math teacher. "I'm just not good at math, I would hear. One of the most important parts of my job at that time was to make sure that my students started to see themselves as capable of improving and capable of learning more about math, no matter where their starting point. And the way to do that was actually teaching them about the science behind the idea of growth versus a fixed mindset. And once they had that understanding, they were so much more open to believing in what was possible for themselves, and it really was the key to unlock the change in the direction where they thought they were headed as far as their math education went. And that little word "yet" is the most important word that we're going to say today because that's where the magic happens.

Jodi: 3:47

A little word that packs a big punch.

Sherry: 3:51

It's not I can't do this. It's I can't do this, YET. The shift in perspective about learning anything is extremely empowering to, you know, students in a math classroom, but it also applies to adults of any age, and it can be applied to, you know, students in a math classroom, but it also applies to adults of any age, and it can be applied to you know the difficult things that we go through in life, or just wanting to learn something new. It was those times in the classroom that came back to me in my life during my own personal and medical challenges. At my lowest point, I had to remind myself that I wasn't going to be stuck forever. I just wasn't okay yet, and it was the reframing of my thoughts and remembering all those things that I would tell my students about how important mindset is that ended up being exactly what I needed to start taking tiny steps toward a new life at that time. And, I think about what Dr Kovatch shared in his own story, how he used unfortunate family history of a devastating illness that inflicted his mother and he asked how do I build from this?

Jodi: 4:57

I was thinking about how, even though he's coming in last, he kept going that to me is a perfect example of growth mindset.

Sherry: 5:04

Yeah, I would agree with that. He had the whole entourage of the sweep behind him and he could have hopped in

Jodi: 5:10

.Absolutely

Jodi: 5:10

I would have.

Sherry: 5:12

He was still trying to pass somebody at the very end. That's an example of using a growth mindset. It was a reminder that that type of mindset is functional and powerful, and as I continue on that journey myself, I remind myself that growth is continuous and even though I'm not where I want to be yet, I'm exactly where I need to be now, and that's actually a mantra that I use daily.

Jodi: 5:40

The best thing about a growth mindset is it does actually take the pressure off. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be willing to learn and improve and keep showing up. It's kind of like me with my spin classes that I started to do again and gosh, I just I hate it and I love it and I go and I'm last and it hurts and it's hard, but I have decided that it's good for me and I just keep going. I can't keep up with the class. I can't follow the instructor. But, I'll be there every Monday evening. I'm going to keep going and I can tell, even after just being back four times, I feel a little stronger every time I come out. Even though my stats aren't really getting better, I still feel stronger and I feel better for the fact that I'm doing it.

Sherry: 6:26

And you are. You're getting a little stronger each time, and that was because you made the decision to start. You have to start.

Jodi: 6:32

Exactly, and I took that pressure off myself. I'm not trying to be the best, I'm not trying to come in number one. I'm just trying to show up for myself, really. And to me, that's me trying to exercise having a growth mindset.

Sherry: 6:46

Right, and that's trying to put the idea of a growth mindset in your forethought so that when you do hit a pothole in life, instead of saying, "I'm not cut out for this, this really sucks, my life is shitty, or one of another umpteen negative bullshit stories we tell ourselves, we then can begin to ask once the dust settles, what can I learn from this and what can I do right now to make things even just the tiniest bit better? And eventually that little shift really is what makes all the difference, and I want to speak to that because that kind of mindset is actually at the heart of the self-mastery approach we're going to talk about next week with Matt Plutko from Revelations Counseling and Wellness. So, if you're wondering what it looks like to apply this type of mindset, not just in theory, but how you actually live, heal and grow, definitely stay tuned for that conversation.

Jodi: 7:38

I'm looking forward to that myself.

Sherry: 7:59

Me too

Jodi: 8:00

The reason I'm looking forward to that interview is that is something that I'm still learning. Learning to live with a growth mindset is something that I am really focusing in on this year for 2025. I'm slowly progressing, but it doesn't come easy but it is possible. I've always wanted to write. I want to be a writer. And the only thing that I was never doing was writing. And, like I would sit there and go, oh, I could never do it, I could never do it. Well, I wasn't doing it at all, and so I started doing just a little bit here and there and I started forcing myself to journal and, honestly, I still don't do it every single night like I told myself I would. But I do make sure that I continuously, at least three times a week, I sit down and write something. I try to, at least once a month, post something that I've written somewhere online and I'm telling myself I'm a writer. I actually have a few people reading. I've made 44 cents writing stories, so I can call myself a writer now. But again, that's how I'm trying to shift my mindset.

Sherry: 8:52

Just like getting on the bike at spin class, though. You made the decision to start and now you're building from there.

Jodi: 8:58

That's what a growth mindset is all about and we talk about it all the time. You have to start, to start, to start, yeah, and it's not easy, it really isn't easy, but again, I love that using the "yet word, that is such a key shift.

Sherry: 9:16

It really is because now you're open to possibilities rather than closing yourself off because it's something that's out of your comfort zone or that you picture other people doing, but why not me? It's not that you can't, it's I'm not doing it yet.

Jodi: 9:31

Absolutely, and people say it all the time I'm not there yet. Maybe you're trying to get over a hurt, or you're trying to repair a relationship and you're not there yet, but it doesn't mean you're not going to get there.

Sherry: 9:42

Yep, and sometimes it's tough to reframe your thoughts that way. But instead of getting down on yourself or someone else or angry or seeing things as criticism, when you start seeing it as an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to be better, like we'll hear from Matt Plutko next time, part of self-mastery is being honest with yourself and others and choosing to respond with intention instead of reactivity. And that can be your interactions with others and also with yourself, because sometimes the biggest quarrels, disagreements, fights, the self-loathing kind of really comes through in a fixed mindset.

Jodi: 10:24

And when you can make that shift to the growth mindset, then you can be a little kinder to yourself as well, maybe you're struggling with a relationship and you're trying to repair it and hope to say I'm just not there yet Doesn't mean you're not going to get there, doesn't mean you're not going to be better. Grow together.

Sherry: 10:41

Instead of saying this person is a real freaking jag off and will never change, you can start asking how do we grow through this together? And that shifts the focus from frustration and shutting each other out to what are the possibilities, because you're trying to seek perspective and open up the channels of communication. And that means really listening to gain understanding and not planning your next cutthroat comment, because no one's winning in that scenario.

Jodi: 11:10

And relationships require growth. If you're not learning and adapting together, things deteriorate over time. All relationships change. Grow and develop over time. If you want to grow in a positive way.

Sherry: 11:25

Growth mindset is key, it is true, and can be applied to all types of relationships in life family, friendships, marriage, work. It's just a really powerful way to move forward with a refreshed perspective.

Jodi: 11:38

It really is. Really good leaders don't always come at everything like they're the smartest person in the room. Right, you have to be able to hear other people and be open to other ideas, and that's a true leader. If you always think you're the smartest kid in the room, you're not learning anything.

Sherry: 11:55

So how do we actually build a growth mindset you?

Jodi: 11:58

Try to see it as a chance to stretch yourself instead of a reason to quit.

Sherry: 12:03

Like learning a new skill at work, or even just trying something new that's out of your comfort zone. Instead of thinking I can't do this, ask what can I learn from this? So that's embracing challenges.

Jodi: 12:15

Right, because mistakes aren't failures, they're lessons. It's how you learn, it's how you grow. We don't start out knowing how to talk. We don't start out knowing how to walk. These are all things that you build up to and really I feel like, as I've gotten older, trying to learn new things actually keeps you a little sharp and it makes you feel better in general.

Sherry: 12:37

Yep, so I think the two biggest take aways; If I were to sum up growth mindset in a nutshell, it's embracing challenges and learning from your mistakes. And then, as we said earlier, instead of beating yourself up, you ask what can this teach me? Honestly, in my life, some of my biggest wins came from my mistakes and what I learned from making them, and it's all about how you use them. Every mistake is just data. It's showing you what works, what doesn't and what needs tweaking.

Jodi: 13:06

If you're never messing up, you're probably not pushing yourself hard enough. Think about how many times did you fall before you learned to walk. It's the old yogi saying no mud, no lotus.

Sherry: 13:16

Yeah, no flowers without the rain, that's right. That's where the learning happens, because progress is progress, no matter how small. Keep showing up and putting in the work, because even the missteps are moving you forward.

Jodi: 13:29

Yes, If you're only focused on your end goal, you miss out on all the wins along the way. And the joy is in the journey and we're never done right? You're never done. We're never finished. Don't wait to be perfect to celebrate those wins. Celebrate it along the way. Celebrate each lesson. Small wins they really do add up to something big.

Sherry: 13:48

All right, here's something to try. We mentioned it before, but I'm going to mention it again because I think it really helps move the needle, which is using your calendar, whether it's paper and pencil one or your digital one on your phone or whatever app you use but using it as a reminder to celebrate your wins. Mine is every Friday at 10 am. That's what I'm supposed to be thinking about. So choose a cadence that works for you and then just take a few minutes on that day to write down the things that are going well or at least in the right direction.

Sherry: 14:22

And whether you decide to do it weekly, monthly or some other cadence, use those wins to build momentum on your journey, whatever you're going through or working towards and I've read in various places that you're the average of the five people that you spend the most time with. So the people that you spend time with matter, and if you're around people who believe in learning and improving, that mindset really rubs off and you start to see setbacks as chances to grow instead of failures. And it's like being in a positive growth focused environment where everyone's cheering you on and you can't help but kind of catch that energy and, on the same note try to lead by example and that keeps you accountable to not falling back into kind of a negative mindset that's holding you back.

Jodi: 15:08

Sure, and the opposite is true. You may notice, if you're around people who are negative, you might find yourself starting to feel like you're being pulled into it and you start feeling a little bit like that yourself. It's really easy to start doubting yourself and to go down that rabbit hole when you're around a lot of negativity. I get it, you don't want to cut everybody out of your life. If you start working every day on trying to be a more positive person yourself then it starts to get a little bit easier to deflect that and maybe switch it for someone else. Be that example, and if it gets to be too heavy until you get to where you need to be, you might have to start looking at who's getting your time and attention.

Sherry: 15:49

Setting boundaries isn't cutting people off, it's more about protecting your peace so that you can focus. It's not some big dramatic thing; it's saying I need to focus on "XYZ" right now so I'm going to take a step back. It can be a quiet, respectful decision that prioritizes your mental and emotional health.

Jodi: 16:18

That's exactly right. We all have negative people in our lives and we're not saying you need to cut them all out and put up walls. Walls keep everybody out. Boundaries teach people where the door is.

Sherry: 16:32

Wow. I believe that quote comes from Mark Groves. He is a relationship coach and a human connection specialist and he emphasized the distinction between walls and healthy boundaries and notes that boundaries allow for well-being and connection rather than the complete isolation that throwing up walls creates. And we're a bit off task here, but I think it's connected because you're creating the space to give room for the right people to step in in the right way that will interact with you in healthy ways so that you can have peace and you can grow and stay on track and I feel like when the shift happens in you and you start to change, you start to feel more positive.

Jodi: 17:17

It's kind of like back to that universal thing of like attracts like and more good things are going to come to you. I feel like every time I have a win, more wins just keep happening, because it's just the way it works right. You build that momentum, you start building that growth mindset, you start taking positive steps toward being a better you and more things just keep unfolding.

Sherry: 17:40

That's the way progress happens right.

Jodi: 17:43

Yep, that's a true and beautiful thing. We talk about Carol Dweck's book a lot. If you're feeling stuck and you're feeling fixed in something you feel like your feet are stuck in cement I would recommend picking it up. If you're not a reader, listen. You feel like your feet are stuck in cement. I would recommend picking it up. If you're not a reader, listen to it, because you know that's a really cool thing to do now.

Sherry: 18:00

And anyone can. Life is about learning and growing. Anytime you catch yourself saying I can't do this tack on yet, it's a simple but powerful change, and adding the word yet opens up the possibility that you can learn, grow and improve. It just takes time, practice and a little patience. So when we're wrapping it up today, it's just a reminder that setbacks will feel less like failures and more like part of the process. And every time something doesn't go right, instead of getting discouraged, you just say to yourself not yet, but I'm closer. So here's the challenge what's one area of your life where you can apply a growth mindset this week?

Jodi: 18:38

Maybe it's a project at work, a new habit you're trying to build, or even how you handle setbacks.

Sherry: 18:44

And remember that, whatever it is, you're not stuck where you are, you're just in progress, and progress is everything.

Jodi: 18:52

Even moving in slow motion is still moving.

Sherry: 18:55

Thanks for hanging out with us today. If this episode helped you, share it with someone you care about. And don't forget, next week's conversation with Matt Plutko is one you won't want to miss. We're going deeper into what it really looks like to take ownership of your mindset, your healing and your personal growth. If you're looking for the resources or ideas we talked about today, you'll find everything linked in the show notes to make it easy and as always, keep going, keep growing and we'll see you next time.

Sherry: 19:23

Please take a second to make sure you are following the show in your favorite podcast platform. Leave us a rating or a quick review and share it with some friends and family. Every follow-in review helps us reach more people. This is it Make it happen. This podcast is a product of Thriving Yenzers LLC, a home services business that helps you reclaim your time and space. We conquer overwhelm by tackling your to-do list with services like organizational coaching, home decluttering, in-home laundry service and personalized lifestyle assistance. To learn more, visit us at thrivingyenserscom. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to a trusted professional or crisis hotline in your area. Help is available 24-7 nationwide at the 988-SUICIDE-IN-CRISIS lifeline Dial 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor for free and confidential support. If you are local to the Pittsburgh area, resolve Crisis Services offer 24-7 crisis intervention and stabilization services to all Allegheny County residents. You can reach them by calling 1-888-796-8226.

Jodi: 20:24

Okay, here comes the legalese, the oopsies and the yinzerese.

Sherry: 20:28

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content shared is based on personal experiences and perspectives. Nothing shared on this podcast should be considered professional advice. Thriving Yenzer's LLC, its hosts or any associated parties are not liable for any actions taken or consequences arising from the information provided. The views expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organizations or affiliations.

Sherry: 20:51

Today's Yenzerese lesson. Today's word jeet J Reflect those of any organizations or affiliations. Today's Yinzerese lesson. Today's word Jeet J-E-E-T. That's Yinzer, for did you eat In a sentence, jeet, yet Nah, let's grab a sandwich done for Manny's. It's quick, it's friendly and it usually means someone's looking out for you. That's what we do in Pittsburgh. Stick around, stick around for more real talk, big heart and small wins right here on this. Is it the podcast by thriving users? Because I walked in the other room and I couldn't remember why I walked in the other room and then I remembered that it was to get my readers water. Have you heard about the I do not care club? So good, I'm not that funny. Oh man, we can't remind me. I gotta cut that out of the bloopers. I need to get a water, holy shit, bye. Here we go. Today we're talking about life's. Nope, sorry, but blah, blah, blah. Anyway, it was a reminder that I'm just having a complete brain freeze. It was a that's where. Hold on, jodi, I'm dying, don't die. So I'm just talking, it's a wrap, okay.