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After reading a fabulous book called Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol Dweck, I was fascinated by her description of how mindset impacts our happiness and success.
I’ve always had a sense of how drastically different some of us approach life, but I never knew the real psychology behind it until reading this book.
As a Stanford psychologist, Dweck’s research identifies two very different mindsets and how they influence us throughout our lives.
The two mindsets are polar opposites, with one optimizing our chances for success and happiness and the other limiting it.
In her research, Dweck discovered there are two very different belief systems responsible for how we shape our future.
Our beliefs are what we presume to be true about our abilities. Those beliefs determine how we approach every situation in our lives.
Dweck explains that self-beliefs create our mindset and coined the terms growth vs. fixed mindsets.
Let’s take a look at the two mindsets, their differences, and how they set us up for a life of mediocrity or fulfillment.
Let’s begin with what Dweck refers to as the fixed mindset.
fixed mindset
The fixed mindset believes their abilities and intelligence are set in stone from birth with little to no malleability.
With a deep rooted belief that skills are “fixed” they see no value in attempting new challenges they perceive are beyond their realm of capabilities.
For the fixed mindset, self-image and identity are attached to performance.
Thus, showing weakness or failure is a major blow to their confidence, resulting in the unwillingness to put themselves in a situation that may not show their best attributes.
In an effort to always appear a certain way the fixed mindset will avoid situations that challenge them for fear of looking bad and tarnishing their image.
The fixed mindset has a greater concern for others perception of them than for growth and learning.
Ultimately, those with a fixed mindset do not believe in going the extra mile or asking for help in order to achieve a desired outcome.
They presume if it doesn’t come naturally to them it’s not worth their time.
They choose to only participate in situations that reaffirm their intelligence and proficiencies, rather than risk revealing their inadequacies.
As you can see, having a fixed mindset is crippling when it comes to achieving great success, because it holds a person back from taking risk in fear of being ridiculed.
The fixed mindset does not see the value in stepping outside their comfort zone. They abide by a belief system that convinces them taking risks is not worth the reward.
They can see no payoff in stretching beyond their perceived limitations and are convinced that what they know now is all they will ever know.
As Dweck writes in her book, “The fixed mindset makes you concerned with how you’ll be judged; the growth mindset makes you concerned with improving.”
If you fall into the fixed mindset category you most likely find yourself moving through life always playing it safe. You prefer not to rock the boat in fear of how others will perceive you if you fail.
You choose to go with what you know rather than attempt to learn new things.
After all, what if you failed and made a fool of yourself? The ego of the fixed mindset does not handle this well.
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
growth mindset
Now let’s take a look at the growth mindset and how completely different they approach life and its challenges.
The growth mindset believes that everyone is born with certain qualities, gifts, and natural inclinations, but that each one can be fostered for improvement.
They are convinced that with hard work and effort they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
They value growth and learning to the extent that failure does not threaten them or shatter their confidence. They view failure as part of the growth process and are willing to step into the unknown.
They do not derive their worthiness from their achievements. They attach more meaning to the process rather than the outcome.
Their self-worth is not dependent on how others perceive them.
This liberates them to move through life making choices on their own terms, with little concern for how others view their decisions.
They embrace challenges and risks, whereas the fixed mindset steers clear of situations that appear too challenging in an effort to avoid making mistakes.
Ultimately, the growth mindset is comfortable being uncomfortable and they forge their way through life willing to take risks often resulting in more success and happiness.
Research shows that having a growth mindset creates new neural pathways in the brain making the brain stronger and more efficient. As we practice learning new ideas and concepts we change the plasticity of our brains.
This development of new neural pathways leads to more happiness and confidence in ourselves. The more confident we are, the more likely we are to move steadfast toward our goals and dreams.
“It is hard to fail but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Ultimately, our mindset is dictating our lives from a subconscious level. It is our responsibility to bring awareness to our belief systems so we can become conscious of how they are impacting our daily lives.
As we bring more attention to our thoughts and patterns, we can make a conscious effort to reinforce more of a growth mindset.
Begin by bringing awareness to how you approach life. Do you find yourself doing what’s most comfortable or are you willing to take risks and failure in stride?
Which mindset do you resonate with most? Share in the comments below.
