Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset

The two sides of the coin — find out which side is controlling you

I n the last few decades, there has been a significant shift in education paradigms. In an effort to combat declining scores and test results, educators have changed their curriculums from “teaching for mastery” (e.g., teaching students what they need to know in order to be successful) to “teaching for success” (e.g., teaching students how to pass tests) and shifting students from a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.

The problem with this is that it’s not sustainable because eventually, these students will run into problems when they are faced with challenges outside of the environment where they’ve learned everything before. This has led some schools and teachers back towards the old model of learning — not just how you learn but who you are as a learner matters too!

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed no hope at all.” — Dale Carnegie

What is the growth & fixed mindset?

The Growth Mindset

The perspective that you have about learning is called a Growth Mindset. A growth mindset believes that intelligence can be developed through effort, good strategies, and mentoring from others.

This perspective has been shown to improve academic achievement in math, science, language arts, emotional skills (e.g., Emotional Intelligence), teamwork & collaboration.

The Fixed Mindset

The alternative perspective is Fixed Mindset — where people are seen as either smart or not no matter what they do while their brain remains unchanged throughout life. These individuals believe that tests measure innate ability rather than the amount of work they’ve put into studying for it or other factors outside of one’s control like socio-economic status in schools today.

Research shows that students with fixed sets tend to choose easier tasks because they are trying to protect their self-esteem. They also tend to avoid challenges because there is the idea that they might not be able to move up or succeed if they do not have the innate intelligence or talent to back it up.

Lastly, people who hold a fixed mindset believe that effort is only present when an individual has already demonstrated high ability (e.g., If I’m struggling with something then I must really suck at this). This perspective will lead students towards giving up instead of pushing forward through difficulties — which can negatively impact future goals & ambitions as well as overall wellbeing in life!

Why is it important to have a growth mindset?

The Growth Mindset:

The best way to think about success is through a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, we believe that our skills and abilities can be developed with effort, practice, and support.

We understand that this process takes time but we are confident in the outcome because we know that there is no such thing as “being born” talented at something — instead, it’s just about how much work you put into developing your skills.

The Fixed Mindset:

A fixed mindset believes otherwise: it assumes that people have innate qualities which determine who they are and what they can accomplish. A person with a fixed mindset might say things like “I don’t think I could ever do the math,” or “I’m not good at running.”

This outlook on life means shying away from challenges or taking on tasks, even if they are challenging because the person wants to prove that he is capable of doing them. It also means avoiding failure at all costs — because it will mean you aren’t talented/capable in the first place.

How can a person change their mindset from fixed to growth?

1) Awareness

In order to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, you have to start by recognizing that intelligence is not something we are born with — it’s developed over time through the right methods. It means being open-minded about challenges instead of running away because there are things outside your comfort zone that could prove beneficial in learning new skills or growing overall!

For example, if someone struggles at Math but they want to be better then he/she should find some resources on improving their abilities (e.g., YouTube tutorials) before trying again so that they can view each attempt as an opportunity for improvement rather than failure.

2) Embracing change, obstacles, and rejections

The learning process is never an easy journey — it takes time, dedication, and a willingness to take on new challenges! When people face rejections or obstacles that prevent them from getting what they want then this can be seen as a sign of growth because you are pushing yourself into the unknown.

For example, if someone wants to get better at playing the piano but he/she struggles with certain chords along the way then there should be the motivation behind figuring out how to overcome these difficulties instead of quitting altogether. This mindset shift will lead towards an additional reward in life for having faced failures & learnings rather than giving up when things got tough (i.e., Successes come only after overcoming hurdles).

3) Scaling new challenges slowly

Another way to overcome this perspective is to start small and building up to more difficult tasks. This means not giving up on something because of one or two small setbacks and instead of viewing it as a learning experience where the individual has room for improvement.

It also means looking past results (e.g., test scores) and focusing on processes/behaviors that will help them grow in areas they might be struggling with! For example, if someone is having trouble passing tests then he/she should focus on studying regularly so that there’s progress towards improving their academic performance overall rather than just trying harder during study sessions before an exam.

4) Rewarding oneself (The cookie jar method)

One way students can work towards developing a growth mindset is by noticing how much effort & time went into achieving different goals along the way. For example, if someone worked really hard to pass a test then they should recognize how much work went in before their grades were improved!

It means not giving up on something because of one or two small setbacks and instead of viewing it as an opportunity for improvement. Additionally, students can learn to accept feedback from peers & teachers without taking it too personally — this will help them stay motivated towards reaching their goals rather than believing that they are “incapable” at certain tasks that might be challenging!

5) Focus on effort & practice

A final piece of advice for those aiming to change their fixed mindset into a growth one is the awareness of the effort. A person with a fixed mindset might not be willing or able to put in the necessary time and practice it takes to become good at something — but shifting focus towards the amount of work you are putting in, rather than innate talent, can push someone into taking on these challenges instead of skirting away from them!

It’s important that people understand that what they do now does not reflect who they will be forever; no matter how much talent an individual has there is always room for improvement through methods like focused practice & learning new skills!

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” — George Bernard Shaw

Final Thoughts

There are so many benefits behind having a growth mindset vs. holding onto a fixed perspective. Individuals that are able to embrace change, obstacles, and rejections then they will be more likely to keep pushing themselves into the unknown.

Additionally, this means not giving up on something because of one or two small setbacks — instead of viewing it as an opportunity for improvement! Not only does active mindset shift lead towards additional rewards in life but also by focusing on processes/behaviors rather than results (e.g., test scores) students can work towards becoming better at their academic performance overall!

Lastly, if someone works hard toward achieving different goals along the way & focuses on effort & practice rather than intelligence nor talent then he/she is much more likely to stay motivated when trying new things becomes challenging!

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