Adopt a growth mindset for focus and performance

By: Maria McConville, MS, RDN*

I had the privilege of interviewing a new teammate of the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) family, Brandon Lee. Brandon is a civilian H2F Registered Dietitian (RD) in 2BCT, Fort Drum, NY, with a fascinating professional background. In addition to being a dietitian, he also has a unique interest in the field of growth mindset.

Maria: How did you become interested in nutrition and its intersection with a growth mindset?

Brandon: I was interested in biology, health science, and wellness from a young age. Before discovering my passion for nutrition, I was an exercise science and wellness (ESW) student at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Thanks to guidance from Tara Sweet-Flagler, the ESW program director, I realized dietetics was my true calling. I’m eternally fascinated by how the body breaks down nutrients for physiological function—particularly for sports and tactical performance. I transferred to the State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta and officially began my dietetics journey. I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SUNY Oneonta, and in 2018, I became a Registered Dietitian. As an RD, I have the education and opportunity to improve people’s health, performance, and lifestyle choices.

Now I’m a doctor of health science (DHSc) student at Pennsylvania Western University. In nutrition and dietetics, very few RDs get a doctoral degree. Achieving such a degree takes tremendous focus, determination, personal sacrifice, and passion. Learning is the spice of life, and even better, I get to use my knowledge to contribute to society and the dietetics profession.

In 2022, my desire to learn led me to the concept of a growth mindset, developed by psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck. A growth mindset is the belief that personal characteristics, such as intellect and talent, can be developed or changed. I had the opportunity to present on growth mindset at the 2022 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo® titled “Cultivating a growth mindset: The path toward continuous improvement.” I’m currently taking part in a study that explores the use of online discussion boards and role-playing exercises to enhance learning, reflective practice skills, and a growth mindset in undergraduate dietetics students enrolled in a nutrition education and counseling course.

Maria: How do you incorporate a growth mindset with Service Members in your H2F role?

Brandon: A growth mindset is integral to my personality, leadership style, and my H2F dietetics practice. I incorporate a growth mindset with Service Members using their self-efficacy—the belief in their ability to make better nutrition decisions. Creating, initiating, and sticking to nutrition-focused lifestyle changes can be challenging. To achieve a growth mindset, Service Members need to embrace challenges, view effort as a path to mastery, take advantage of feedback, and celebrate their successes and those of others.

As a member of a highly trained interdisciplinary team (IDT), I collaborate regularly on all matters of mental performance, resilience, and health, including with the cognitive performance specialist (CPS), among others. All IDT members have a scope of practice to follow, but we also have knowledge and skills in other sports or tactical performance areas.

As a DHSc student, I’m trained in health and wellness, disease prevention and management, adult learning theory, curriculum and course design, evidence-based practice, community and corporate wellness program development, and research methods in sports performance. Sharing these ideas among the IDT is vital for what I like to call “cross-pollination.” This cross-pollination leads to a healthy work environment where IDT members are empowered to collaborate through trust, accountability, and shared goals. Cross-pollination is embedded in my practice whether I’m encouraging Service Members to embrace a growth mindset to meet their nutrition goals or collaborating with the CPS on growth mindset initiatives.

Maria: What applications of using the growth mindset do you foresee as benefiting the military community as a whole?

Brandon: I have primarily studied and spoken to undergraduate dietetics students and graduate occupational therapy students on how they can develop a growth mindset to improve their academic and professional experience, yet the same lessons apply to Service Members. A growth mindset is crucial for effective learning, personal growth, and reaching your goals in any organizational culture that brings out external and internal motivation, including the military. A growth mindset is one mental model that encourages people to focus on their effort rather than their performance.

I teach Service Members to identify with their ability to work hard rather than focusing on their accomplishments. An emphasis on rewards rather than effort leads people to pick easy tasks or goals because they fear failure. Yet those who focus on effort over rewards seek out and thrive in challenges. A growth mindset is available to everyone regardless of rank, occupation, or situation. As more research findings emerge, the H2F team will evaluate the growth mindset’s efficacy and its value in the military community.

Maria: Is there one sentence about growth mindset, summing it all up, that you can share?

Brandon: Just because you start somewhere doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Through intentional personal growth, you can be who you want to be.

Disclosure: *The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.