Growth Mindset vs. Failure Mindset: Lessons from My Internship at Pernix — Daniel Prendas

Pernix Solutions
4 min readJan 23, 2025

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Mindset plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth. During my internship at Pernix, I learned the difference between having a growth mindset and a failure mindset. This realization has transformed the way I approach challenges, handle mistakes, and view my development. In this blog, I want to share what I’ve learned about adopting a growth mindset and how it has impacted my journey.

The Importance of Mindset

Your mindset influences how you react to challenges, setbacks, and opportunities. At Pernix, I noticed that those who embraced a growth mindset tended to tackle difficult tasks with enthusiasm, while those with a failure mindset were often hesitant to take risks.

One eye-opening experience was during a pair programming session where I made a mistake. Instead of being criticized, my mentor explained that mistakes are part of the learning process. This shifted my perspective — errors didn’t mean I was incapable; they were just steps on the path to improvement.

This experience showed me that a growth mindset allows us to face challenges positively, while a failure mindset can hold us back.

Key Lessons for Cultivating a Growth Mindset

1. Embrace Challenges

At Pernix, I learned that challenges are not roadblocks but opportunities to learn and grow. Instead of avoiding difficult tasks, I now see them as chances to expand my skills and knowledge. Tackling challenges head-on has made me more confident in my abilities.

2. Learn from Mistakes

In the beginning, I feared making mistakes because I thought they reflected poorly on me. However, I soon realized that every error I made while coding was an opportunity to learn something new. My mentors encouraged me to reflect on what went wrong and use that insight to improve. This helped me approach mistakes with curiosity instead of fear.

3. Seek Continuous Improvement

Pernix’s culture of Technical Excellence taught me that there’s always room for growth. Whether it’s improving my code quality or learning new technologies, I’ve adopted the habit of continuously seeking ways to improve my work.

4. Accept Feedback Positively

Initially, I viewed feedback as criticism. But in my internship, I learned that feedback is a powerful tool for growth. My mentors provided constructive feedback that helped me see areas for improvement. By embracing feedback rather than fearing it, I’ve accelerated my learning process.

5. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Results

I used to focus solely on end results. However, I now celebrate the progress I make along the way. Recognizing the effort and small victories keeps me motivated and reinforces the value of the learning journey itself.

My Experience at Pernix

When I started my internship, I faced new challenges and felt the pressure of making mistakes. But Pernix’s supportive environment helped me shift my mindset:

  • Pair Programming sessions showed me that mistakes are normal and valuable.
  • Continuous Feedback helped me learn quickly and improve.
  • The focus on Technical Excellence encouraged me to keep learning and refining my skills.

I began to understand that growth happens when we push through discomfort and learn from every experience. This mindset shift has made me more resilient, open to feedback, and eager to face challenges.

The Impact of a Growth Mindset on My Development

Thanks to the growth mindset I cultivated at Pernix, I’ve:

  • Gained confidence in my ability to learn and improve.
  • Learned to view mistakes as opportunities rather than failures.
  • Embraced feedback as a tool for growth.
  • Become more resilient and motivated to tackle challenges.

This mindset has not only helped me during my internship but has also prepared me for future challenges in my career.

Conclusion

Adopting a growth mindset is about believing that your abilities can improve with effort, learning, and persistence. My experience at Pernix has taught me that this mindset is essential for personal and professional growth. By embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and seeking continuous improvement, I’m better equipped to face the ever-evolving world of software development.

I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and excited to continue growing.

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Pernix Solutions
Pernix Solutions

Written by Pernix Solutions

A software development and evolutionary prototyping solutions company. We build quality products and deliver them on time by going “Beyond Agile”.

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