From "Growth Mindset" to "Ascension Outlook"

Why patience and authenticity always trump instant gratification — and how I've grown a steady following on Substack through gratitude and staying true to my own voice.

Dec 10, 2024

Once upon a time, the term "Growth Mindset" was everywhere. It was the buzzword for people striving to better themselves, whether through learning, evolving, or overcoming obstacles. But like many trends in personal development, it feels like we’ve outgrown the term itself.

Now, I find myself leaning on a phrase that better captures my approach to success on Substack: Ascension Outlook (AO). It’s not just about growth—it's about rising steadily, step by step, toward something meaningful.

What Is an Ascension Outlook?

For me, having an Ascension Outlook means approaching my writing, my audience, and my goals with patience, perspective, and purpose. It’s not about chasing metrics or instant validation. Instead, it’s about creating something authentic and trusting that success—whatever that looks like—will follow in its own time.

Here’s how this mindset has guided me:

I Focus on Writing First.
My first (and best) task is to write the most authentic, thoughtful content I can about the world I inhabit. Some of it might resonate deeply with readers. Other pieces might not. But if I stay true to myself and my voice, I’m building something real.
I Don’t Expect Overnight Success.
When I first launched my Substack, I was keenly aware that my writing wouldn’t immediately grab everyone’s attention. And honestly? That’s a good thing. Instant success can feel like a flash in the pan. The kind of community I want to build—a curious, engaged, and loyal one—takes time to cultivate.
Every New Subscriber Is a Gift.
To this day, every time someone subscribes or follows my work, I’m blown away. The fact that someone takes the time to read what I’ve written—and then decides to stay connected—reminds me that this is a partnership between writer and reader.

Why AO Matters

An Ascension Outlook isn’t about perfection — or even consistent progress. Some days, success might look like one “like” or comment. Other days, a new reader. Still other days, it’s the satisfaction of writing something that felt hard but necessary. What matters is the upward trajectory, however incremental.

“Growth Mindset” was always about believing you could improve. “Ascension Outlook” is about believing in the climb itself—about savoring the journey and trusting the process, even when the summit feels far away.

Speaking of summits, what are they, really, except fleeting points in our overall journeys? I don’t have a “goal” for how many subscribers I gain or dollars I earn from this Substack. My priority is quality, not quantity. When I lose a subscriber, I’m disappointed but not crushed, and I always pay attention to why they’ve left. If subscription cost is the issue, I know I can’t change their financial circumstances. If they don’t have the time to read my newsletter, I can’t wave a wand and add more hours in the day for them. Though I prioritize my writing, I don’t expect others to reciprocate. Readers have full and busy lives. After writing professionally for almost 20 years, I still get the chills every time someone signs up to receive my work. Each of those moments of connection is like reaching an important summit.

Let me share some screenshots from my Substack dashboard.

As you’ll see, it’s taken time to build my Writers’ Haven following. I haven’t posted as often as I’d like to, but that’s changing in 2025, so stay tuned! Still, to have more than 1600 subscribers (and more than 40 of them paid subscribers) blows my mind. THANK YOU!

Screen shot of a graph showing an upward trajectory of earnings, from $0 to $2,000 per year. The horizontal axis shows time beginning in March 2022 and ends with December 2024. The vertical axis shows dollar amounts, from $0 to $2.5k — I began offering paid subscriptions in March, 2022, and after almost 3 years of inconsistent posting, my newsletter now earns just over $2k annually.

Zoomed-out views like those (above) help to illustrate my Ascension Outlook. However, when I’m zoomed way in (like below), I lose perspective and easily focus on what’s NOT working:

Graphic shows the ups and downs of my paid subscriber list for the past 30 days, ranging from 45 to 42 subscribers. — The 30-day view of my paid subscribers shows readers dropping off and joining at various times.

When I’m too close, it’s easy to dwell on the downward trends. When I see this view (above), I ask myself, “What am I doing wrong?” “What could I do better?” “What’s not working?” It’s natural to want to DO SOMETHING in these moments. It’s easy to believe that action will take away the sting.

But that’s when an Ascension Outlook helps. It reminds me that blips always happen, that subscribers and followers come and go, and that the only thing I can truly control is the writing.

For instance, due to a heavy workload and a bit of illness, I’ve barely posted this month, and I’ve been feeling guilty. The view (below) of my December posts kind of bums me out:

However, when I look at how many times I’ve posted since I began on Substack (215 posts as of this one), I can literally see how I’ve built traction as I’ve stuck with it:

Bar graph shows slow and steady growth from December 2021 to December 2024. Early posts saw less than 2k readers. Now, I average 5k or more. — My earliest posts saw fewer than 500 views, but this year, even as inconsistent as I’ve been, they’ve averaged 5000+.

While it’s easy to wonder (and feel jealous) about the stats of Substacks I’m in awe of — including

, and

Letters from an American

by Heather Cox Richardson — Writers’ Haven is my little corner of Substack. I’m growing and learning and nurturing it with all my ever-loving heart.

So, if you’re building something—whether it’s a Substack, a career, or a life—try shifting to an Ascension Outlook. Focus on showing up. Focus on putting out your best, most authentic work. Try to stay out of the weeds, and instead, focus on the zoomed-out perspective. And, focus on appreciating every step upward.

Remember: The view from the point you’re at is already incredible—and it only gets better as we climb.

Now it’s your turn:

How can you incorporate an Ascension Outlook into your life?

Expressive Writing for Emotional Healing

Instructor: Christine Wolf
📅 Saturday, January 11th, 2025
🕒 3-Hour Workshop
📍 Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

Have you experienced periods of overwhelm, trauma, or significant difficulty?
Processing these moments is essential for emotional well-being. Join me to explore the evidence-based technique of Expressive Writing—a powerful tool to help you get “unstuck.”

What You’ll Learn

Discover the practice pioneered by Dr. James Pennebaker in 1986.
Use writing as a way to acknowledge troubling memories.
Create a framework of language to move unresolved thoughts onto the page (or into the air).

This workshop is ideal for:

Faculty & Staff
Students
Public Community Members
Post-Docs & Graduate Students

✨ This workshop mirrors the ones I’ve led at The Infinity Foundation! ✨

🎟️ To register, click here:
https://nbo.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=2391

Looking for a Virtual Option?

Click here if you’d like to register for the virtual option of the course above, offered via Zoom on Saturday, 12/21/24 from 9a-12p.

If you can’t make it life, you’ll receive the recording.

If you’re a paid subscriber of this newsletter (THANK YOU!) or a Writers’ Haven Annual Member, use code WHMEMBER24 at checkout for 15% off!

person standing near body of water — Photo by Nathan McBride on Unsplash

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Writers' Haven by Christine Wolf