Changing from a Fixed Mindset to a Growth Mindset

Recently a news item highlighted a book called “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck. Her research showed that those who believe they are innately talented and do not choose to grow tend to be less likely to fulfill their potential than people who believe their abilities can increase over time. She labeled the first group as people who have a “fixed mindset” and the second as people who have a “growth mindset”.

Dweck argued that the talented people with a fixed mindset are afraid to make mistakes and look stupid so they tend to take less challenges and develop their skills. On the other hand, those with a growth mindset jump at the chance to change and improve themselves and in the long run this group of people become more successful in business by learning from their mistakes and trials. Finally she says that it is possible for people to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset even though it is not easy to let go “something that has felt like yourself for many years”.

Personally, I think I have been in a fixed mindset all throughout my childhood. It may have to do with being an Asian nerd who is good at school. People thought that I was smart at a pretty young age and that stereotype kind of stuck. I had very good grades in school and was really afraid of getting a B because that would be a failure. I thought that I was smart. That changed in highschool and college because I met too many people that are a lot smarter. I think when your friends are smarter or more successful than you it keeps you humble. Being in that environment also spurs a bit of healthy competition.

Now I am more up for new things and new challenges because I am no longer in school. I now understand that your grades do not matter that much in real life. Nobody cares what I got on my SATs 10 years ago, and nobody cares that I wrote an English paper that I got an A on. It is important to learn new things at work and try out new projects because otherwise I get extremely bored. If I had to do the same thing for the rest of my life then it would be like living the same day over and over again. That is a frightening thought, but most of us do it anyway because we are used to being institutionalized.

So I guess having a growth mindset means that I would be able to step outside of my comfort zone and try something unknown. I have done that when I moved out of my parents’ house, got married, and changed jobs. I must confess that I am still afraid of failure because my life is pretty good right now, but I am now less afraid of making big changes in my life because change makes life more interesting and colorful.

How about you?  Are you in a fixed mindset or do you thrive on change?

Share This

Related Posts