How a Growth Mindset Can Help You Do Better at Maths (and Actually Enjoy It Too)

A Growth Mindset in Maths Gives You the Confidence, Curiosity, and the Courage to Keep Going — Even When You Get It Wrong

Let’s be honest. Maths can be a bit intimidating sometimes. You’re halfway through a worded problem, and your brain’s already imagining what’s for lunch. You make a mistake, and suddenly you feel like maybe you’re just “not a maths person.” Here’s the good news: there’s no such thing as a “maths person.” There are just people who practise, people who learn from their mistakes, and people who keep going even when it gets tricky. That’s what having a growth mindset is all about — and it might just be the biggest game-changer for how you feel about maths and how well you do in it.

1. A Growth Mindset Means You Know You Can Get Better

People with a growth mindset believe that maths ability isn’t fixed — it’s something you can grow through effort, practice and trying new strategies. So even if you’re finding long division tough now, you know it’s not “just the way you are.” It’s just something you haven’t mastered yet.

2. Mistakes Become Learning Opportunities

Instead of seeing mistakes as proof you’re no good at maths, a growth mindset helps you see them as part of the learning process. Every time you mess up your times tables or get the wrong answer, your brain is actually learning. In fact, neuroscientists have shown your brain grows more when you make a mistake and think about it. That’s right — mistakes make your brain stronger.

3. It Helps You Stay Calm in Tough Moments

Ever looked at a maths question and felt your stomach drop? That’s maths anxiety talking. But a growth mindset tells you: “You’ve handled tricky things before. You can work through this too.” Taking a deep breath and giving it a go — even if you’re unsure — helps replace panic with persistence. It’s like mental first aid for maths nerves.

4. You Learn to Say “Yet”

One of the best little words you can add to your maths vocabulary is “yet.”

“I don’t get fractions… yet.”

“I can’t do percentages… yet.”

Adding that one word opens the door to improvement. It reminds you that you’re still learning — and that’s perfectly okay.

5. You Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

In a modern classroom, every student learns at their own pace — and that’s a good thing. A growth mindset helps you focus on your journey, not someone else’s worksheet. Maybe it takes you longer to get algebra, but you fly through measurement tasks. We all have strengths and stretch zones. What matters is keeping at it.

6. It Builds Real Confidence (Not Just “Good Job” Stickers)

Confidence doesn’t come from getting everything right all the time. It comes from knowing that when things go wrong, you’ve got the tools and attitude to bounce back. A growth mindset helps you trust yourself to solve problems — not because it’s easy, but because you’ve worked for it. And that kind of confidence sticks.

7. You Start to Enjoy Maths (Really)

When students stop fearing mistakes and start focusing on progress, something amazing happens — maths becomes fun. There’s joy in solving a tricky puzzle, figuring out a pattern, or finally cracking that strategy for solving a word problem. With a growth mindset, maths feels less like a test and more like a challenge you’re ready to take on.

In Conclusion: Growth Mindset = Growth in Maths

The most successful maths learners aren’t always the fastest or the flashiest — they’re the ones who don’t give up, even when it’s hard. They try different strategies, ask good questions, and learn from every stumble. In other words, they’ve got a growth mindset. So whether you’re learning multiplication, exploring decimals or algebra, doing advanced calculus or just trying to remember where you left your calculator — remind yourself that maths isn’t about being perfect. It’s about growing. And with the right mindset, you’re already on your way.

This blog post was created by Felstead Education. We specialise in helping students see the fun, exciting and engaging aspects of mathematics. We offer a range of workshops and incursion that can help you create a truly memorable and unique maths experience for your students such as The Maths Show, The Amazing Maths Race, The Maths Escape Room and The Maths and Sport Show.

To find out how we can add some extra fun to maths at your school, visit us at www.felstead.com.au or email: info@felstead.com.au