At Growth By Design, we believe intentional choices lead to impactful growth, whether you’re shaping a thriving organization or a meaningful life. Here, we provide the practical information, tools, and frameworks to get you there. Today, e’re exploring how our beliefs shape every outcome we experience as leaders, teammates, and individuals. Let’s dive into the science and real-world strategies behind why what we believe truly drives what we achieve.
Spend about a day with me and by the end of our time together it is very likely I’ve brought up Carol Dweck’s book Mindset several times – in fact I will have probably implored you to pick up a copy ASAP. This book speaks to the science behind your mindset – and how powerful we all are to shape our reality. Yet even as frequent re-reader of this work, I too find myself in states of misalignment with my beliefs and behavior. I’ve come to find that a growth mindset is something that requires constant nurturing and commitment – but luckily there are tools to help make this a daily practice.
Why Beliefs Matter
Think back to a time when you either doubted yourself – or believed without a doubt that you could achieve something. Chances are, that belief, positive or negative, made all the difference. By strengthening your conviction in your beliefs, and aligning your beliefs to your desired outcomes, you are priming your mind and body to work effectively toward that desired result.
As leaders, our beliefs ripple outward, quietly but powerfully shaping outcomes not just for ourselves, but for our teams and organizations. In this post you’ll come to know that the science is clear: beliefs are not just passive thoughts, but active forces that drive behavior, resilience, and ultimately, results. Let’s dive in!
The Science Behind Belief
Recent research continues to show just how deeply our beliefs shape what we achieve:
Our Belief System Can Shift, And Thus Shift What’s Possible
Rutgers University’s 2023 research dives into how beliefs are formed, updated, and so often stubbornly held. Their research found that while confirmation bias and motivated reasoning do influence us, our beliefs are surprisingly rational and we as humans are inclined to update our long-held beliefs when we’re genuinely open to evidence.
The implication: even deeply held, unhelpful beliefs can change if we want them to, opening the door for leaders to deliberately shape mindsets based on facts and growth – not just old habits.
Autonomy and Ownership Drive Performance
A 2024 study from Carnegie Mellon University revealed that when students were allowed to make attendance mandatory for themselves, most chose the challenging path and reliably stuck to it. This autonomy led to higher attendance and better performance than when rules were imposed from above. Researchers concluded that “giving students the feeling of control over their education puts learning in their hands and increases their motivation.”
The takeaway for leaders: It isn’t just your beliefs holding you back, your beliefs in your team is likely holding them back. Empowering belief in one’s own agency and choices produces better outcomes than top-down mandates.
“When you expect things to happen – strangely enough – they do happen.“
– J.P. Morgan
The Power of Belief – Mindset and Success, by Eduardo Briceño
This is one of my favorite TEDx talk, which distills research by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck on fixed versus growth mindsets (I still highly recommend you read Dweck’s book, but this is a good first step!). Briceño explains how believing that skills and intelligence can be developed (rather than being fixed) leads to greater achievement, adaptability, and resilience for both individuals and teams. He shares practical ways we can begin to shift our own mindsets, and those of our teams, for better outcomes.
How You as a Leader Can Notice and Change Your Beliefs
Building a belief-driven culture within yourself and among your team starts with self-awareness and proactive change:
- Create Systems that Reinforce New Beliefs
Align workflows, recognition, and incentives with the outcomes you want to see. Recognize and reward risk-taking, learning, and experimentation, not just flawless execution. - Practice Self-Reflection
Regularly ask yourself: What outcomes am I consistently seeing? What beliefs might be driving them? Journaling or guided meditation can bring subconscious beliefs to light. I journal every morning and evening – this helps me notice patterns over time that I otherwise would miss! - Seek Evidence and Challenge Assumptions
Deliberately look for evidence that supports and contradicts your current beliefs. Acknowledge cognitive biases and invite peer feedback. Remember, beliefs can be updated when we’re open to genuine evidence – so put your investigator caps on and start digging for data! - Empower Others through Autonomy
Offer your team real choices about their goals, methods, and even mistakes. Studies show that when people feel in control, they are more motivated and perform better. You must believe in your team’s capabilities, then behave in accordance to that belief in order to realize the results you desire. - Model and Share Growth Mindset Stories
Talk openly about times you changed your mind or grew beyond your own expectations. Celebrate learning and effort, not just “wins.” This builds psychological safety for your team to iterate on beliefs as well.
In the end, beliefs are the invisible engine behind every result you see. As a leader, your greatest leverage comes from noticing, nurturing, and when necessary, changing the beliefs that set the boundaries for your team. So friends, I hope you choose from this moment forward to believe in your potential, practice nurturing a growth mindset, and watch what happens next.
Onward and upward!
Katie
Growth By Design 
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