Fixed V’s Growth Mindset

Leah Rebecca Bailey
Soul Magazine
Published in
4 min readSep 13, 2024
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

The term ‘growth mindset’ was coined by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck. She believed that people had either a mainly ‘fixed mindset’, where they believed that talent was inherent, and intelligence is something you were either born with or not, or a ‘growth mindset’ which is the belief that success and skill is a result of hard work, perseverance, and learning from mistakes.

We can sit on the spectrum between the two but most people lean towards one or the other.

Dweck’s research found that people with a ‘growth mindset’ tend to achieve more as they believe we are constantly growing through our experiences, and our capabilities and intelligence are ever evolving. So how do we develop a ‘growth mindset’?

Nine ways to develop a ‘growth mindset’

1. Don’t be afraid to fail

If we want to develop a ‘growth mindset’ we need to let go of our fear of failure. The most successful people in life don’t let failure get in the way of them achieving their goals. Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts when creating the lightbulb. Where a ‘fixed mindset’ person gives up after a setback, a ‘growth mindset’ person learns from their mistakes and keeps going.

2. Take on constructive criticism

Instead of letting criticism make them lose motivation, a person with a ‘growth mindset’ gets spurred on by constructive criticism, giving them incentive to try harder. Rather than think they know better and become defensive, they take on advice and suggestions for improvement.

3. Be OK with looking stupid

When we are learning a new skill it’s very likely that we will make mistakes, especially in front of other people. A person with a ‘fixed mindset’ will avoid this and try to protect their ego. Whereas if we want to develop a ‘growth mindset’ we need to put aside our ego and not be afraid of looking stupid in front of others.

4. Don’t seek approval from others

If we are constantly seeking approval from others it will stop us from achieving our goals, or at least slow us down. Will we lose momentum if we have to get validation from others along the way. People with a ‘growth mindset’ accept their flaws and know they don’t need to be perfect. They are more than willing to learn from their mistakes and change paths if needed.

5. Have stamina and perseverance

One of the major things that sets a ‘growth mindset’ person apart from a ‘fixed mindset’ person is their ability and willingness to persevere. They have stamina and don’t easily tire. When our end goal in mind is aligned with a higher purpose this becomes the fuel that keeps us going.

6. Be realistic

A ‘growth mindset’ person is realistic when it comes to timeframes to achieving success. They know it takes effort and time and aren’t disillusioned when things don’t happen straight away. They are also realistic with their limitations. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and know when to ask for help.

7. Learn from other people’s mistakes and achievements

When it comes to achieving their goals they analyse and study what other people are doing to create success and incorporate the same strategies and methods. As well as reviewing what doesn’t work so they don’t make the same mistakes. They are not threatened by other people’s success, instead finding inspiration to do the same. People with a ‘growth mindset’ are also always on the lookout for new and innovative ways of doing things.

8. Consistent self-development

Those of us with a ‘growth mindset’ know that we need to keep learning and bettering ourselves and that self- development is an ongoing process. They are always on the lookout for new things to read, watch, or listen to in order to improve themselves. They refuse to remain stagnant and never let themselves become complacent thinking that they know everything already.

9. Know yourself

People with a ‘growth mindset’ are in touch with their beliefs and ideas and know what’s meaningful to them. They know their ‘why’. They also understand that beliefs and ideas evolve and change throughout our life and are not afraid to pivot when something no longer aligns with their values. They also understand that different things will be important to them at different life stages, recognising the need to adapt with changing circumstances.

These are some ways that we can move away from the limited ‘fixed mindset’ and embrace the more expansive qualities of a ‘growth mindset’ helping us achieve more success in life. If we start taking responsibility these qualities will become second nature and we might just create the life we want.

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Leah Rebecca Bailey
Soul Magazine

I am a qualified therapist and founder of Mindfulness Mummahood. You can find out more here: https://mindfulnessmummahood.com