Dweck's Mindset

In school, at the stores, anywhere, there are two types of people that can be encountered. What makes these two types of people different is their mindsets. One type has the mindset of a pessimist; they think they cannot do certain tasks and are afraid of looking stupid. The other type has the mindset of an optimist; they always try new things and are not scared to do so. In the article “Brainology” by Carol S. Dweck, she states that there are two different mindsets that people can possess, either a fixed mindset (pessimist) or a growth mindset (optimist); these mindsets are developed at a young age and will influence a person’s choices and opportunities.

Growth mindset and the fixed mindset: The two focal points of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success written by Carol Dweck. Pushing yourself further and further so that you can strengthen your intelligence, versus believing that the knowledge you know and have cannot be brought to a higher level. Even though the book was a difficult read, it really opens the mind to the different views on life, and the many ways that people go about their lives. How the fixed mindset may bring someone to success at first but later in their life lead them to a crisis. Or how the growth mindset may be difficult to grasp and achieve, but it will enact success in the future. The book advises ways to go from having the fixed mindset to the growth mindset, from saying things such as, “Yet those people with the growth mindset were not labeling themselves… Even though

Growth mindset is the cone to an ice cream. It is the foundation of what I think a successful person is. Without it one couldn’t use the characteristics mentioned above in more ways than one. Someone with a growth mindset believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, brains and talent are just the starting point.

Basically, individuals with a fixed mindset often feel measured by a failure, sometimes permanently. Unfortunately, failed attempts are viewed as a label rather than an opportunity to plan a new path of succes. On the other hand, an individual with a growth mindset views a failed attempt as an opportunity to take action, to confront obstacles, to keep up with their schoolwork, and/or to better manage and organize their time. Growth mindset individuals believe that qualities can be developed, expanded, and eventually result in a successful outcome. A second lesson learned is the power of labels and the stereotype of ability; this lesson is undoubtedly one of the most enlightening. Dweck discovered in one of her studies that, “... ability praise often pushed students right into a fixed mindset, and they showed all the signs of it too. When we gave them a choice, they rejected a challenging new task that they could learn from. They didn’t want to do anything that could expose their flaws and call into question their talent” (72). One’s mindset determines their reaction to labels and stereotypes. An individual with a fixed mindset will settle for a positive label and chose stagnation and permanent inferiority rather than risk losing the label; whereas,

The way that people think about their ability to change and grow can impact their lives. In her book, Mindset: The new psychology of success, Carol Dweck introduces this way of viewing of the world as our mindsets. She proposes that there are two different types of mindsets: growth and fixed. People with a growth mindset see their abilities as something that can be cultivated and changed through effort. They are more willing to take chances to learn and grow.

Carol Dweck writes about an excellent concept to live by in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, although it is not necessarily a new concept. She words her concept as the “growth” mindset versus the “fixed” mindset. The “growth” mindset is what she suggests the reader should translate into different aspects of their everyday life. The growth mindset is about learning from mistakes, and always trying as hard as possible to improve oneself. Whereas, the fixed mindset is when people have the idea that they were born with quantifiable traits, and are not able to change or improve them. In my opinion, for the growth mindset, she is essentially just rewording what I call the golden rule which is “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again”.

To compare and contrast the two is very easy because they are very alike yet very different. A fixed mindset is wanting to look smart without doing the work like avoiding challenges , giving up easily and not getting things your full effort they also hate constructive criticism which leads them to feel threatened by others success. A growth mindset is someone who want to learn and challenge themselves and over come all setbacks so that they can master what they are learning they take constructive criticism very well which leads them to become happy at the success of others.

Dweck believes that someone who possesses a “growth mindset” is almost the polar opposite of someone who has a “fixed mindset.” A person with a growth mindset is able to think positively and see the silver lining of an unfavorable situation. They are able to improve from their mistakes, and always finds a way to become better at different aspects of life. Growth mindsets come with an open mind, making these people extremely versatile in any circumstance. In addition, their mindsets increase in complexity through maturity. They believe that as long as anyone puts in the effort, they have the potential to succeed.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., truly forces its audience to evaluate their mindset, whether it be a fixed or growth mindset, and to determine how they can improve upon that very mindset in their personal and professional lives. Throughout the book, Dweck explores what exactly the fixed mindset and the growth mindset are, and how “. . . the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your

Throughout history, human beings have always attempted to form a categorization system for everything around them. This organizational yearning extends to their own species as well – whether it is by race, gender, language, or any other category. Therefore, it should be no surprise that Dr. Carol Dweck in chapter one of her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, asserts that there are two types of mindsets that people fall under: fixed mindset and growth mindset. In its simplest form, a fixed mindset is one where the person only craves the feeling of success.

In the article “Carol Dweck Revisits the ‘Growth Mindset’,” Carol Dweck refines her definition of growth mindset, and she explains that since many have confused the concept, it is important to clarify the idea of growth mindset before people claim that they have one. Dweck explains that, although effort is an important factor for having a growth mindset, it is just as, if not more, important to ask others for help, to test out different strategies, and to ask what needs to be done in order to succeed the next time. Instead of claiming to possess a growth mindset just because it sounds better than possessing a fixed mindset, one should accept the mindset that they actually have. This will only help to develop a growth mindset, which is

Almost my embarrassment was liberated when I read the book Mindset. Dweck has used some writing moves ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade readers. I myself was feeling excited, enough of patience to continue to find out. I want to see how she did it.

“The Growth Mindset” by Rona Elisa talks about the difference between people with a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and how to overcome from fixed to growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe that their basic traits and skills are permanent and that it is a natural talent. Therefore, they do not challenge themselves in order to avoid any failure situations because they want to prove they are smart. Whereas, people with a growth mindset put the effort in learning to improve their basic qualities and skills. So, when it comes to challenging situations people with a fixed mindset either they try to avoid it or blame others, make up excuses, and/ or criticize in order for them to save their self- worth.

Carol Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success asserts that humans have two mindsets: a fixed mindset is the belief that traits, such as intelligence and personality, are permanent and the growth mindset is the belief that traits can be developed. Dweck supports this claim by sharing her research, personal reflections, celebrity examples, and various anecdotes in the contexts of athletics, business/leadership, relationships, and parenting/teaching/coaching. Dweck’s purpose is to enable readers to understand the two mindsets in order to develop growth mindsets. Writing in an informal tone that explains psychology using simple vocabulary supported by examples from clients to working professionals to pop culture icons, Dweck writes

There are many ways a growth mindset can affect an individual. Commonly growth mindsets have a more positive effect on your life. The mindset you attain, growth or fixed, is dependent on the views you adopt from a young age. There are much more pros than cons for a growth-minded person compared to a fixed minded person. One of the ways growth mindset is more beneficial than a fixed mindset is that intelligence is developed over time. A growth mindset is associated with the desire to learn and the ability to continue despite an obstacle, whereas fixed mindset is associated with the desire to appear smart and will give up easier when faced with an obstacle. A few more differences between the two are growth mindset focuses on learning from criticism and is inspired by others' success, while fixed mindset ignores useful feedback and is threatened by others' success.