Brain intertwined with vines, symbolizing growth mindset in a veterinary office setting.

Unlock Your Potential: How Mindset Affects Well-being in High-Stress Careers

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Avery Sinclair in Mind & Education November 2026 • 4 min read.

"Discover the surprising link between mindset and mental health in veterinary medicine, and how fostering a growth mindset can lead to greater well-being and resilience."


In today's demanding world, mental health challenges are on the rise, particularly in high-stress professions. Studies reveal a concerning trend of increased mental health problems among veterinary surgeons and students. This article explores a critical factor influencing mental well-being: mindset.

Mindset, the belief about one's ability to develop intelligence and skills, plays a significant role in how individuals cope with challenges and setbacks. A 'fixed mindset' assumes that abilities are innate and unchangeable, while a 'growth mindset' believes that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. The type of feedback that is given during educational upbringing can have an effect on mindset.

This article examines research conducted among veterinary students to uncover the connection between mindset and psychological well-being. By understanding this link, we can identify strategies to foster a growth mindset and promote resilience in veterinary medicine and other high-pressure fields.

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Approaches and Limits

Mindset strategies are often presented as practical ways to interpret pressure and support well-being in demanding careers. Their usefulness may depend on the person, the workplace, and the type of stress involved. Because no sources were provided for this subsection, these points should be treated as general context rather than evidence of a specific method's effectiveness.

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The Mindset-Well-being Connection: What the Research Reveals

Brain intertwined with vines, symbolizing growth mindset in a veterinary office setting.

A study involving 148 veterinary students investigated the relationship between mindset and psychological well-being. The research assessed students' mindsets (fixed, intermediate, or growth) and measured their psychological well-being across several dimensions, including autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance.

The findings revealed a strong association between mindset and mental health. Students with a fixed mindset reported significantly lower scores on five out of the six dimensions of psychological well-being compared to those with a growth mindset. This suggests that believing intelligence and abilities are fixed can negatively impact various aspects of mental health.

  • Autonomy: The sense of independence and self-governance.
  • Environmental Mastery: The ability to manage and control one's environment.
  • Personal Growth: The feeling of continued development and self-improvement.
  • Positive Relations with Others: The capacity to form meaningful and trusting relationships.
  • Purpose in Life: Having goals and a sense of direction in life.
  • Self-Acceptance: Accepting oneself, both positive and negative qualities.
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These results indicate that students who embrace a growth mindset, believing in their capacity to learn and improve, experience greater psychological well-being. Conversely, those with a fixed mindset may be more vulnerable to mental health challenges due to their belief in unchangeable limitations.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset: Practical Strategies for a Healthier Career

The research suggests that fostering a growth mindset can significantly improve mental well-being, particularly in demanding professions like veterinary medicine. Educators, employers, and individuals can take proactive steps to cultivate a growth-oriented approach.

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Integrating Mindset and Well-being

A balanced discussion of mindset in high-stress careers should recognize that personal interpretation is only one part of the experience. Work demands, available support, and professional responsibilities may also shape well-being. With no sources provided for this subsection, these statements are general framing rather than conclusions from a particular study.

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How the veterinary study compares with later work

A separate curriculum study found that students’ mindsets varied by subject: growth-oriented responses were more common for reflection and clinical reasoning than for professional reasoning.[1]

The study at a glance, in the paper's own terms

Populationveterinary students[2]
ComparisonStudents who believed that their level of intelligence was fixed compared to students who believed that their intelligence was malleable[2]
Main outcomemindset and psychological well-being[2]
Times cited46[2]

Reading the mindset and well-being association

The questionnaire findings link beliefs about intelligence with psychological well-being in veterinary students; they describe a relationship, not proof that one causes the other.[2]

The comparison suggests that a fixed view of intelligence can coincide with weaker well-being across several measured areas, while leaving open whether the same pattern holds beyond this student group.[2]

What a follow-up would need to show

  • Would process-focused feedback or less comparative assessment actually change students’ mindsets and well-being, as the authors propose?[2]

Terms behind the comparison

Mindset
Beliefs about whether intelligence can be modified.[2]

Short answers on this study

What did the researchers set out to understand?

They aimed to clarify possible teaching-related factors that may influence veterinary students’ mental health.[2]

Sources

  1. The influences of curriculum area and student background on mindset to learning in the veterinary curriculum: a pilot study (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  2. Exploring the Link between Mindset and Psychological Well-Being among Veterinary Students (University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress), 2017)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3138/jvme.1215-192r, Alternate LINK

Title: Exploring The Link Between Mindset And Psychological Well-Being Among Veterinary Students

Subject: General Veterinary

Journal: Journal of Veterinary Medical Education

Publisher: University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)

Authors: Rachel E. Whittington, Susan Rhind, Daphne Loads, Ian Handel

Published: 2017-02-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is the core difference between a fixed and a growth mindset, and how does this impact well-being in veterinary students?

A 'fixed mindset' is the belief that intelligence and abilities are innate and unchangeable, while a 'growth mindset' is the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. In a study involving 148 veterinary students, those with a fixed mindset reported significantly lower scores on five out of the six dimensions of psychological well-being compared to those with a growth mindset. This includes areas like autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. This strongly suggests that a fixed mindset can lead to increased vulnerability to mental health challenges in this high-stress profession.

2

How was the connection between mindset and psychological well-being in veterinary students researched, and what specific dimensions of well-being were examined?

The research assessed veterinary students' mindsets (fixed, intermediate, or growth) and measured their psychological well-being across several dimensions. The dimensions of psychological well-being examined were autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. The study found a strong association between mindset and mental health. Students with a fixed mindset reported significantly lower scores on most dimensions of psychological well-being compared to those with a growth mindset.

3

Can you explain the implications of having a fixed mindset on the different aspects of psychological well-being like autonomy, environmental mastery, and personal growth, based on the research?

Students with a fixed mindset, who believe their abilities are static, often struggle across various dimensions of psychological well-being. For instance, in terms of autonomy, they may feel less capable of independent decision-making. In environmental mastery, they might perceive a reduced ability to manage and control their surroundings. The belief in limited potential can also hinder personal growth, diminishing their sense of continuous development. Furthermore, fixed mindsets can negatively impact positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance as individuals might internalize failures, affecting how they connect with others and find meaning in their lives.

4

Beyond veterinary medicine, in what other high-pressure fields might a growth mindset be particularly beneficial, and why?

A growth mindset is particularly beneficial in any high-pressure field where challenges and setbacks are common. This includes fields like medicine, law, engineering, and any career with high stakes and demanding workloads. In these environments, the ability to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, rather than as confirmations of fixed limitations, is crucial for resilience and well-being. A growth mindset allows individuals to cope better with stress, adapt to change, and maintain a positive outlook, which is vital for long-term success and mental health in these professions.

5

What practical strategies can educators, employers, and individuals use to cultivate a growth mindset, and how can these strategies impact the mental well-being of veterinary professionals?

Educators, employers, and individuals can cultivate a growth mindset by focusing on effort and learning rather than innate ability. Providing constructive feedback that emphasizes the learning process, encouraging perseverance, and celebrating effort can help. For veterinary professionals specifically, this means creating a workplace culture that values learning from mistakes and providing opportunities for professional development. Individuals can adopt a growth mindset by embracing challenges, viewing failures as learning experiences, and seeking out new skills. These strategies can improve mental well-being by fostering resilience, reducing the fear of failure, and promoting a sense of continuous growth and fulfillment in their careers.

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