We create our world by the way we think. Mindset is a mental mechanism that helps people to cope with “ambiguity, complexity and dynamism” of information they receive from their environment. Mindset acts as a mental filtration by which people select and interpret information and identify right decisions and actions. Our mindset has its root from when we are born and it builds in life through life experiences and the environment in which we live. We collect and interpret information through mindset and if the new information is in consistency with our mindset, we accept the new information and it fortifies our current mindset. If the new information is novel and inconsistent with our mindset, we either accept it and modify our mindset or reject it. Any change in our mindset highly depends on how self-aware we are about our mindset. We can say ” mindsets are beliefs” (Dweck, C., 2016).
Growth Mindset
Successful people have a growth mindset. The growth mindset doesn’t think about setbacks as failure but as a learning process. The growth mindset has self insight and can evaluate its abilities, strengths and weaknesses. People with a growth mindset are persistent and resilient to achieve their goals. They are open to ideas and feedback and are team oriented. They always ask questions to learn and know more and always want to improve. They do what they love, have great drive and they are enthusiastic to learn and progress.
Fixed Mindset
Fixed mindset people believe that human’s capabilities and abilities are fixed and they cannot develop. People are either smart or not. They usually don’t put their efforts into tasks that they think are not good at doing them. They focus on tasks that they are good at doing, so they can prove to others their capabilities and they feel good to show themselves. They avoid challenges and risks because they want to avoid ambiguity and failure; which according to their beliefs reflect their weaknesses. People with a fixed mindset enjoy effortless success, as it proves their talent and they don’t like criticism and feedback that is not positive. Stereotype is usually a big part of fixed mindset judgment. When we praise children for their intelligence and smartness, we actually build their fixed mindset.
- Dweck, C. 2016. Mindset; the New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books, New York, NY, U.S.