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Meaning & use

set your mind to

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ˌset jɔː ˈmaɪnd tuː/
US/ˌset jʊr ˈmaɪnd tuː/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    to decide firmly to achieve something and refuse to let anything stop you.

    Grammar: Used with a possessive word (my, your, his, her, our, their) that matches the subject, and followed by a noun or an -ing form.

    Patterns

    • set your mind to something
    • set your mind to doing something
    • have your mind set on something

    Once Maya set her mind to finishing the race, nothing could slow her down.

    He set his mind to learning Mandarin and practiced every morning for two years.

    If you set your mind to it, you can pass this exam.

  2. phraseidiom

    to direct all your attention and effort toward one particular aim.

    Grammar: Often used with 'on' instead of 'to' when the focus is the goal itself: she set her mind on a career in medicine.

    Patterns

    • set your mind on something
    • set your mind on doing something

    The team set its mind on winning the regional cup, and trained six days a week.

    After the injury, she set her mind on walking again without help.

Common combinations

set your mind to a task
Give him a clear goal and he will set his mind to the task at once.
set your mind to doing something
She set her mind to saving enough money for a house.
really set your mind to something
If you really set your mind to something, you find ways around the obstacles.
set your mind on a goal
From the age of ten he had set his mind on becoming a pilot.
once you set your mind to it
Once you set your mind to it, the work goes much faster.

Synonyms and how they differ

be determined to
This describes the strong feeling itself, while 'set your mind to' stresses the moment of deciding and then working steadily toward the aim.
resolve to
'Resolve to' is more formal and usually appears in writing; it also takes a verb directly, as in 'she resolved to try again'.
commit yourself to
This emphasizes a promise or obligation and often suggests a longer, more public effort than simply deciding privately.
put your mind to
Very close in meaning and often interchangeable, though 'put your mind to' can suggest concentrating on a task rather than chasing a long-term goal.

Opposites

give up onlose heart

Word family

single-minded adjective
having one clear aim and refusing to be distracted from it
determination noun
the quality of continuing to try despite difficulty
resolve noun
a firm decision or strong intention to do something

Commonly confused: set your mind to or make up your mind? set your mind to or have a mind to?

set your mind to vs make up your mind

This means to reach a decision after thinking about the choices, not to commit yourself to achieving something. 'I made up my mind to take the job' is about choosing; 'I set my mind to getting the job' is about working hard for it.

set your mind to vs have a mind to

This old-fashioned phrase means you are considering or inclined to do something, often with mild threat: 'I have a mind to complain.' It shows a passing thought, not firm commitment.

Practice

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