Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Fixed mindset versus growth mindset is the focus of Carol S. Dweck’s book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”. Having a fixed mindset means believing that your qualities can’t change. Who you are currently will be the same person you’ll be in the future. A growth mindset is the opposite, it means being willing to change. It means the person you are today doesn’t have to be the same person you are tomorrow. Some good news is that it’s possible to learn how to have a new mindset.

Oftentimes people are likely to have a mix of both mindsets. Depending on the situation at hand people lean towards either one or the other. The mindset which someone has affects their approach to success. This can be shown by someone who has a fixed mindset choosing to stay safe and never veere from their comfort zone. Someone in the same position who has a growth mindset would stretch themselves and focus on learning. Attitude towards work is another example of how having different mindsets results in different approaches. Someone with a growth mindset is driven by excellence and their passion. People with a fixed mindset tend to resist putting in effort. This is due to their silent worries of not being adequate and because they believe that working harder shows that they aren’t “special” enough.

The book does not define either mindset as bad or good it’s job is just to raise awareness of both ways of thinking. You have the ability to make a conscious choice of which mindset you choose to use. In order to change mindsets and learn to have a growth mindset you have to be willing to first become aware of your mindset. You have to show situational awareness, get comfortable with uncertainty, and be open-minded.