Mindset
Changing the Way You think to Fulfil Your Potential
Carol Dweck
World-renowned Stanford University psychologist
Carol Dweck in this remarkable book explores the power of our mindset.
Dweck explains
why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success - but whether
we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. Praising intelligence and
ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment. It may actually
jeopardize success.
Our mindset shapes whether we believe we can learn and
change and grow – or not.
Human generally have little control over their
bodies. But, what about our intellectual and physical abilities? There are as many
answers to this question. Our mindset plays a very important role in how we see
ourselves and others and it also shapes our beliefs.
There are two types of mindsets, a fixed and a
growth mindset.
People with growth mindset grow throughout their
lives. They acquire new skills and actively engage themselves in their relationships.
Life is in a constant state of change for them.
However, people with fixed mindset let their way of
thinking obstruct their development. They only think black and white and in
situations of failure, either blames themselves or others.
Our mindset shapes whether we believe we can learn and change and grow – or not.
People with a fixed mindset believe that talent is everything.
They believe, a person is either intelligent and talented or stupid and
incompetent, and will stay that way.
They also believe that they can only do things they
show a natural aptitude for – that practice does not make it perfect.
Since they are quick to judge, they assume others are judging them too.
They think that one mistake can brand them as
incompetent fools for life. They constantly seek approval, to protect their
egos and to use it as a confirmation of their own skills and talent.
Growth and development are possible in the growth
mindset.
People with growth mindset recognize that the more
problems they solve, the more they learn. Sky’s the limit when it comes to
life’s possibilities for these individuals.
These people relish any opportunity to learn tricks
from the crème de la crème in a field. In relationships, they encourage their
partners to continue learning and working on themselves. As employers, they
show their employees respect and are grateful for their work.
They practice relentlessly and know that only
through practice – and the occasional failure – they can improve their skills.
People with a fixed mindset seek approval; those with a
growth mindset seek development.
Those with fixed mindset like flaunting their
superiority and putting more energy into their own image than into the
company’s welfare.
People with growth mindset focuses on creating a work environment based on teamwork and development. The focus is moved away from individuals’ success and towards shared development.
The fixed mindset sees failures as disasters; the growth
mindset sees them as opportunities.
Failure has dramatic effect on people with a fixed
mindset. They do not believe in learning from their mistakes..
In order to preserve their self-confidence, they
make excuses, cheat, or lose interest and look the other way. They do not seek
help or analyze their weaknesses. They see themselves as a finished product –
not a continual process.
People with a growth mindset rather than finding
faults, look for ways to improve their performance through practices and a
thorough analysis of their mistakes.
People with a fixed mindset avoid difficulties; those
with a growth mindset relish them.
When people with a fixed mindset are faced with a
difficult situation, all they see are risks, because the more time and energy
they invest in something, the fewer excuses they have for failure. This way of
thinking makes it impossible for them to improve themselves without questioning
their own talent.
Challenges give people with a growth mindset the
opportunity to pursue purpose-filled actions. Failures encourage them to put more
energy into fighting against – and rewriting – their fate.
Our mindset is often strongly influenced by the role
models we had as children.
Mindset development begins at birth. Babies come
into the world with a growth mindset. The adults in a child’s life play a huge
role in determining the child’s mindset.
Parents with a growth mindset encourage their
children and to continue learning, whereas those with a fixed mindset are
always judging their children, telling them what is right or wrong.
Teachers are also very important role models and
influence children’s mindsets. Good teachers show their students different ways
of solving problems and understanding. Their weaker students embrace a growth
mindset and start getting better grades.
Our mindset is not entirely predetermined. It can
change as early as childhood when we adopt the mindsets of our role models.
Anyone can adopt a growth mindset and make the impossible
possible.
Nobody has to be a victim of their surroundings
while developing their mindset. The brain can be trained; if we want a growth
mindset, we can teach ourselves to think that way.
It is also important to understand that a fixed
mindset is not easy to kick, getting rid of it can be extremely discomforting. We
also don’t have entirely give up a fixed mindset. As long as we’re able to adopt
the growth perspective in certain situations, it’s usually enough.
The growth mindset is the key to self-fulfilment. Anyone
can adopt a growth mindset and make the impossible possible.
According to the
author with the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise
their grades, as well as reach our own goals - personal and professional. Carol
Dweck reveals how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning
and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area.
Ruchika Verma
You can purchase this insightful book from Amazon
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