Fixed vs Growth Mindset
Understanding two different mindsets can help you lead your life
Our learning capabilities boil down to two mindsets we can choose. You will have probably already heard about them. I’m talking about a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
In this article, I’ll try to accompany you in the discovery of the different aspects of these two options we all have at our disposal.
What is a fixed mindset?
In a fixed mindset, people believe attributes, such as talent and intelligence, are fixed.
This is the reason why anything in life will go on probably in the same way, without any attempt to change.
Of course, I’m not saying this kind of mindset won’t serve you in many situations of your life. Sometimes it’s good to have fixed boundaries and keep to them. Could you imagine parents not giving precise sleep hours to their kids? Being able to remain stable on a fixed mindset based on the fact that children need far more sleep than adults is at least heroic.
On the other side, a negative aspect of a fixed mindset is relatable to a feeling of impossibility according to which someone thinks he will never be able to do things differently.
Another characteristic of a fixed mindset could be linked to low self-esteem, leading to thoughts like “I’m not talented”, “I’d better give up” or “I will certainly fail”.
Fear is often present in this type of thinking, ending with missing new opportunities because too scared to take them.
Having a fixed mindset often leads to being too judgemental, limiting the range of behaviors to the ones you think to be allowed, and losing the focus of personal critical thinking.
A mid-phase: Awareness
Is it possible to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset?
What would you say? YES. Anything is possible.
By becoming aware of your way of thinking you set up the first step to actuate this change. Raising awareness of your personal thinking processes will help you open up to a new range of possibilities and opportunities.
What is a growth mindset?
Someone with a growth mindset views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort.
On a practical level, this statement means your mindset makes you invincible. Through this type of mindset, you can prepare yourself for a scalable, always improving future.
For someone who isn’t good at something or may not already have an innate ability, a growth mindset ensures they think they’ll get better over time with deliberate practice.
When I first read about the famous affirmation that any failure is a step further in the direction of success I didn’t understand it. It’s rather part of the American culture, I think. As regards me, I thought I had to be perfect because failure was not an option. I had a fixed mindset where failure wasn’t contemplated as acceptable.
After many years of personal research and auto analysis, I am now able to recognize the importance of integrating any experience, even the negative ones, in this self-improvement method called a growth mindset.
Acceding to this mindset opens the doors to creativity, and lateral thinking (Edward De Bono).
A growth mindset is less judgemental towards others, also, because it sees the importance of any piece in the complex game of life. Openness and tolerance to uncertainty can be the initial point of any journey you’d like to start.
Conclusion
Adaptability requires a great level of intelligence. It’s not the canonical intelligence known some years ago as I.Q. It’s a growing model which takes into consideration also our emotional parts.
What we can become depends on us, our choices, our beliefs, and our certainty that we can improve no matter what our present situation is. Having a growth or fixed mindset determines our success or failure in any endeavor.
Having a growth mindset is an asset we should teach in school, not only to create an economical privilege but raise as a collective family of humans.
Note
A fixed mindset, the opposite growth mindset, and their characteristics have been deeply studied by American psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck.
