1 Growth Mindset
“Love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort and keep on learning.”
Carol Dweck, author of Mindset
Growth vs. Fixed Mindset
Research by Dr. Carol Dweck determined the distinction between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. A growth mindset is an indicator of success and well-being where challenges are embraced and failure is appreciated as a learning opportunity. A fixed mindset often leads to stagnation, fear of failure, and avoidance of new opportunities. To determine which you have, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are we born with talent or intelligence, or can we develop them with effort and learning?
- Do you view new challenges with excitement and perseverance or do you give up easily or avoid challenges all together?
- Do you assume that we either “get it” or we don’t?
The Power of Yet
It is critical that we embrace a growth mindset to create conditions for learning and flourishing, and also to learn to believe in ourselves. When we believe talent or intelligence are fixed, we can do harm by labeling ourselves or others. On the other hand, if we believe effort and attitude determine abilities, we will be able to intentionally seek opportunities to grow and thrive. Think about the power of the word Yet: when someone says “I can’t do that”, their self-perception and motivation can be transformed by simply adding “I can’t do that…yet!”
Developing a Growth Mindset |
Perpetuating a Fixed Mindset |
| Value effort and perseverance | Value talent/intelligence |
| Learn from failure | Avoid failure |
| Embrace challenges | Avoid challenges |
| Welcome feedback | Take feedback personally |
| Find inspiration in others’ success | Feel threatened by others’ success |
| “I can’t do that…yet!” | “I can’t do that.” |
REFLECTION ACTIVITY
Consider someone you know with a growth mindset…
- How do you recognize that they have a growth mindset?
- What are specific behaviors that you have observed?
- What kind of growth mindset language do they use?
- What do you see as the benefits of their growth mindset?
Now consider someone with a fixed mindset. How could this person make a few adjustments and improve their circumstances?
WATCH AND REFLECT ACTIVITY
Watch Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset and answer the following questions. For additional information on the Power of Yet watch, “The power of believing that you can improve” below.
- How will developing a growth mindset contribute to my academic success?
- How can I use my growth mindset to help me manage failure?
- How can I learn from my mistakes to do better next time?
