Fixed and Growth Mindsets

The Power of Mindset and Your Ability to Make Your Life What You Want It to Be

Who should listen: Anyone who wants to align their thinking with their desired success.

Key idea: Being aware of your mindset permits you to approach situations with more thoughtful intentions and allows you to decide how you want to act rather than succumb to predetermined reactions.

There appears to have been a mindset revolution.

People are searching the internet for information and secrets about the business owner’s mindset, the self-discipline mindset, the disruption mindset, the athlete’s mindset, the billionaire’s mindset, the Special Forces mindset—the list goes on.

What these all have in common is the doctrine that what you think and believe about yourself and what’s possible is at the core of your eventual success in achieving what you desire.

Essentially, the discussion is about mind over matter, which leads us to wonder if it really is possible to change your situation simply by thinking about it.

Well, no, it isn’t.

But if you are going to change your situation, it helps if you start with your mind.

What is mindset?

In this week’s episode, we discuss Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, PhD.

Dweck is a professor at Stanford University, and she’s defined mindset as a self-perception or “self-theory” that people hold about themselves, such as “I’m intelligent” or “I’m not intelligent.” Specifically, she writes about a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, the differences between them, and how you can make needed changes that will help you adapt more easily and positively to the world around you.

Growth v. fixed mindsets

In these show notes, we highlight some differences between a fixed mindset and growth mindset and the consequences of having one versus the other. As you listen, you’ll easily discover why the right mindset for success lies in the latter. We invite you to listen to the full episode to hear about the additional advantages of a growth mindset and how you can make needed adjustments to literally change your mind.

Beliefs about ability

People with a fixed mindset generally believe certain traits and talents are fixed and that these traits and talents are responsible for the limits of their success. As a result, those with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges for fear of failure.

People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe people are more malleable. They believe they can learn new abilities with practice and that intentional actions can create change. Not surprisingly, people with a growth mindset tend to be curious and embrace challenges as an opportunity to learn.

Beliefs about results

People with a fixed mindset look to their previous achievements, pointing to and relying on past accomplishments as signs of their success as opposed to looking forward and seeking out their next opportunity.

People with a growth mindset enjoy the journey as much or even more than the end result of their efforts. For them, the journey represents an end in it itself with chances for endless opportunities to discover and learn new things.

Beliefs about the unknown

Following our pattern, people with a fixed mindset tend to fear failure and the chance that they may look foolish and suffer ridicule.

Conversely, people with a growth mindset are willing to try new things, believing that failure is a part of the process. As long as they try hard enough, no one will laugh.

Beliefs about feedback

People with a fixed mindset avoid feedback on their actions and ideas. They take criticism personally.

People with a growth mindset appreciate feedback. They accept that feedback is needed to improve and that criticism about their work or ideas is limited to the result of their work on a single day.

Beliefs about others’ achievements

People with a fixed mindset tend to feel threatened by other people’s accomplishments. They measure themselves against others and feel pressure to succeed.

People with a growth mindset, not surprisingly, are inspired by others’ success. They have faith in their own abilities to achieve what they see others achieve.

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Connect | Resources

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, PhD