The Difference Between Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck is a researcher at the University of Stanford. She is well-known for her work on the growth vs. the fixed mindset. She describes the difference between the fixed and growth mindset:
”In a fixed mindset, students end up believing that their abilities, their talents, and their intelligence, are fixed characteristics in their life. They have a specific amount, and that’s it, and then their aim becomes to always look good and to never look foolish. With a growth mindset, the students appreciate the fact that their abilities and talents can be advanced and developed through constant effort, good coaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone is the same, or that anyone can be an Einstein. However, they believe everybody can only get better if they work hard at it.’’
From this, we can see that the benefits of a growth mindset are apparent, but most of us admit to having a fixed mindset in many situations. The truth is; this is dangerous because a fixed mindset can prevent development and growth of new skills, which can end up sabotaging your happiness or health down the line.
For instance, if you hold a belief that you are not a good swimmer, then this view becomes an excuse to avoid swimming. Your fixed mindset prevents you from plunging into the waters and hinders your ability to learn and develop new skills and abilities.
In the meantime, someone who has a growth mindset would be happy and willing to try swimming even if they fail repeatedly. They view failure and any other setback as an opportunity to continue working and developing their skills rather than seeing it as something they can’t do.
In the end, the person who has a growth mindset is more likely to exploit and utilize their potential. They learn from failure rather than just refusing to learn. They find inspiration from the success and achievement of others instead of feeling threatened.
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