When I was a teenager, my dad, a tough, hardworking man, suffered a massive heart attack—the kind often called a “widow-maker.” According to the American Heart Association, the survival rate for such an event is only about 12%. Incredibly, my dad was in the waiting room of a major hospital when it happened. He was lucky.
Against all odds, he survived. After being resuscitated by an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), doctors told him his chances of living more than two more years were slim. But rather than accepting his fate, my dad shifted his mindset. He moved from a fixed mindset, where change seemed impossible, to a growth mindset. He embraced the challenge of learning to live differently, seeing his mistakes not as failures but as opportunities to grow.
If you have been diagnosed with a cardiac condition or told by a clinician that you are at risk of developing a cardiac condition, you might feel overwhelmed, confused, or unsure of what to do. People respond differently to learning about health problems, and how you respond can tremendously affect your diagnosis and how you live your life.
My dad, rather than view his heart attack as a death sentence, saw it as a chance to transform. His mission became not only a physical recovery but also mental and emotional healing.
By adopting a growth mindset, he had new motivation, saw opportunities to learn that would have passed him by, got out of his comfort zone, and believed he was learning from mistakes and setbacks. He began to practice yoga and meditation, changed his diet, and learned how to relax and manage stress. Every day became an opportunity to step outside his comfort zone and confront the habits that had contributed to his health crisis.
I watched him struggle against years of ingrained habits, but more importantly, I saw him succeed. He wasn’t just fighting to survive—he was fighting for a life filled with health, energy, and joy. He lived twenty-one more years, filled with meaningful experiences and happiness.
This transformation wasn’t just his—it became the foundation for a healthier future for our entire family. His ability to embrace change when facing adversity taught me the power of a growth mindset and inspired my journey to become an expert in health behavior change.
Our Mindset Affects Our Health: Which One Do You Have?
Our beliefs, attitudes, and perspectives shape how we interpret and respond to situations. Our mindset influences how we approach life’s challenges and guides our actions, decisions, and behaviors. Whether fixed or flexible, our habitual thinking directly impacts our choices and outcomes.
Image: Fixed mindset vs. Growth mindset
A Fixed Mindset is when we believe that qualities like health or intelligence are permanent and unchangeable. This mindset often leads to the belief that problems, like heart disease, are inevitable and unalterable, making any attempt to change seem pointless. For example, someone with a fixed mindset may say, “There’s no use in changing my diet or exercising; I’ve always had high cholesterol, and I always will.” With a fixed mindset, setbacks or failures only reinforce the belief that change is impossible, even when trying something new.
In contrast, a Growth Mindset allows us to see our behaviors—especially regarding our health—as something that can be improved with effort, learning, and persistence. Those with a growth mindset believe that change is possible and that effort leads to improvement. The exciting part about adopting a growth mindset is that it creates new options and a sense of hope.
For instance, your clinician might advise reducing your salt or red meat intake because of a heart condition. A growth mindset lets you believe that you can change your eating habits. At first, new foods or recipes may not appeal to you, but you remain motivated to experiment and try again, convinced that it’s worth the effort. Eventually, you will find recipes you enjoy, and your diet will become key to improving your health.
Examples of Fixed vs. Growth Mindset:
Exercise:
Fixed Mindset: “I’m just not someone who enjoys exercise. I’ve never been able to stick with it, so why bother?”
Growth Mindset: “I haven’t found an exercise routine I enjoy yet, but I’ll keep trying different activities until I find something that works for me.”
Managing Stress:
Fixed Mindset: “I’ve always been stressed and can’t handle pressure. It’s part of who I am.”
Growth Mindset: “Stress is a challenge I can learn to manage. I can explore relaxation techniques or coping strategies that will help me deal with stress better.”
Weight Loss:
Fixed Mindset: “I’ve tried to lose weight before, and it never works. I’ll never be able to do it.”
Growth Mindset: “Losing weight is a challenge, but I can learn from my past attempts and adjust my approach to make progress this time.”
Mindset shapes how we respond to a diagnosis and the changes needed to manage it. It drives our motivation, influences our recovery, and determines the resources we seek. With a growth mindset, we become open to learning, exploring solutions, and taking charge of our health.
Our beliefs play a crucial role in health outcomes, especially with cardiovascular disease, where lifestyle choices are particularly impactful. A growth mindset helps us break free from feeling stuck and navigate the discomfort of change—whether adjusting our diet, committing to exercise, or staying on top of health monitoring. Fear of change often leads to avoidance, but shifting our perspective allows us to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
By embracing a growth mindset, we become more engaged, motivated, and empowered to sustain changes. This sense of control is key not just to improving health but to enhancing overall wellbeing.
My father’s story powerfully reminds us that it’s never too late to change. Even in the middle of a significant health crisis, shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset can lead to extraordinary outcomes. His life proved that with the right mindset, we can thrive, not merely survive, demonstrating that we can transform our health and lives with the right mindset.
In upcoming articles, we’ll explore how stress impacts heart health and introduce the concept of growth-enhancing stress—how we can leverage stress as a natural part of change to improve our cardiovascular well-being.
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