The Power of ‘Yet’: How a Growth Mindset Can Change Everything

International Women's Day (IWD) serves as both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the ongoing challenges women face worldwide. Across national security, diplomacy, human rights, and digital spaces, women continue to break barriers. And, despite these incredible achievements, many of us still wrestle with self-doubt, hesitation, and the feeling that we’re not quite ready to take on a challenge.

But what if I told you that the only thing standing between you and your next breakthrough is one small word?

That word is yet.

Why ‘Yet’ Changes Everything

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I can’t ski”? Or maybe it’s something else, such as “I’m not confident,” “I’m not strong enough,” “I’m not the kind of person who takes risks.”

Now, let’s add one tiny word to that sentence: yet.

Suddenly, everything shifts.

“I can’t ski… yet.”
“I’m not confident… yet.”
“I don’t feel strong enough… yet.”

That one word opens the door to possibility. It tells your brain that change is possible. And on International Women’s Day, what better time to talk about the power of yet and how it can help women push past self-doubt, both on the slopes and in life?

On the Slopes and Beyond: The Power of ‘Yet’

In skiing, I see this mindset play out all the time. A client will come to me after a bad fall or years of fear, convinced that they’ll never feel confident again.

But confidence isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It’s something you build. And it starts with shifting from “I can’t” to “I can’t… yet.”

The same applies beyond the mountains. Whether it’s speaking up in a meeting, changing careers, or tackling something outside your comfort zone, so many women hesitate because they feel they’re not ready. But if we wait to feel ready, we might never take that first step.

Confidence doesn’t come before action - it comes from action.

Your ‘Yet’ Moment

So, where in your life are you holding onto a fixed mindset? What’s something you’ve told yourself you can’t do?

Try adding yet to the end of that sentence and see how it feels.

On this International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate not just who we are now, but who we’re becoming. The yet version of you is already in motion; one step, one turn, one bold decision at a time.

Your Next Step

If you’re ready to stop letting fear hold you back, whether on the slopes or in life, let’s talk. Because you can get there. You just haven’t… yet.