Do you think it is possible to increase your intellectual

When Carol S. Dweck asked: “Do you think it is possible to increase your intellectual ability? For decades, I have studied the power of this belief to become reality and watched as the concept of maintaining a 'growth mindset' has taken root in education and parenting circles,” she offered not just a question, but a challenge to the soul. Her words cut through the ancient doubt that the mind is fixed, that intelligence is fate, that one is forever bound by the measure of birth. Instead, she proclaimed a vision both liberating and heroic: that belief in growth itself has the power to shape destiny.

The origin of this teaching lies in her lifelong study of the human mind. For centuries, philosophers and educators debated whether ability was innate or cultivated. The ancients often divided mankind into classes of thought — some deemed wise by nature, others destined only for labor. Yet Dweck’s work in the modern age revealed what the sages only glimpsed: that the belief in one’s capacity to grow fuels persistence, and persistence itself fuels mastery. To maintain a growth mindset is to resist the chains of “I cannot” and replace them with the fire of “I am not yet, but I will be.”

Consider the tale of Thomas Edison, who in his youth was dismissed by teachers as “addled” and incapable of learning. Yet he refused to accept the fixed judgment of others. He experimented, failed, tried again, and out of thousands of errors brought forth the electric light. His genius was not simply the brilliance of his mind, but the resilience of his spirit. He lived the truth of Dweck’s teaching centuries before it was given words: intellectual ability can grow where belief and perseverance dwell.

Her words also resonate deeply within the realm of parenting and education. A child who is told, “You are smart,” may feel pride, but a child who is told, “You can learn and grow,” is given power. The first praise binds the child to a fragile identity — fearful of failure, for it may shatter the illusion of innate genius. The second praise frees the child, for mistakes become stepping stones rather than shackles. Thus, the growth mindset is not only a philosophy for the individual but a gift from parent to child, a seed planted in early years that bears fruit for a lifetime.

Yet Dweck’s question — “Do you think it is possible?” — acknowledges the resistance of the human heart. Many find comfort in limits, believing that their failures prove incapacity rather than the need for more effort. To them, effort feels like weakness. But to those who embrace growth, effort is the forge where strength is born. The distinction between the fixed mindset and the growth mindset is not merely intellectual but moral: one binds the will, the other unleashes it.

The lesson, then, is this: you are not the sum of your present abilities. The mind, like the body, grows stronger when exercised. To embrace a growth mindset is to treat every failure as training, every obstacle as an invitation, every challenge as a chance to expand. Parents and teachers must speak this truth into the ears of children, and adults must remind themselves of it daily, for the world is full of voices that whisper, “You cannot.” The wise must answer, “I cannot yet, but I will.”

Practical actions must follow: when facing difficulty, replace the phrase “I can’t” with “I can’t yet.” Seek challenges that stretch you, for growth never comes from ease. As a parent or teacher, praise the process — the effort, the strategies, the persistence — rather than only the result. Reflect often on your own self-talk: are you binding yourself with a fixed mindset, or freeing yourself with growth? Through these practices, belief becomes reality, and the mind expands beyond what once seemed possible.

So let Carol S. Dweck’s words stand as a teaching for generations: intellectual ability is not fixed, but flexible; not given, but grown; not fate, but forged. Let all who hear this remember that the greatest obstacle is not failure, but the belief that growth is impossible. Hold fast to the fire of possibility, and you will find within yourself and your children a strength beyond measure.