What follows is an excerpt from the Geek Out section of my book, Simple Marathon Training. Enjoy!

Growth Mindset, by Travis Macy – Ultra Endurance Racer, Author of The Ultra Mindset

Years of experience as an athlete, teacher, and coach have taught me that a subtle distinction in mindset can lead to a significant difference in improved performance, health, and enjoyment in running.

I learned about growth mindset vs. fixed mindset when I read Carol Dweck’s excellent text, Mindset. The book made such an impact that I started teaching about it every week in my high school English classes. I subsequently wrote about the growth mindset as related to endurance training/racing and life in general in The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion’s 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life.

Someone with a growth mindset, simply put, focuses on getting better; one who adopts the opposite­—the fixed mindset—focuses on being good. The difference is subtle, yet revolutionary. [Read more…]