What is fixed mindset vs growth mindset?
Fixed Mindset
A person with a fixed mindset believes that people are born with special talents and every person has different abilities and intelligence that cannot get better with time, effort, and determination. They admire successful people for their intelligence and praise them for their talent while refusing to look at the effort and hard work that went into their making behind the scenes. They think of J.K. Rowling, Theodor Seuss Geisel, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen King, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison, Michael Jordan, and Walt Disney as popular names around the world due to their innate talent and not a result of their ability to live through failure and persist in their efforts.
Success and failure is a part of their identity. Success means they are smart and talented and failure means they are not. Everything is about the outcome, a direct measure of their competence and worth. Every failure is a validation of their lack of intelligence and every mistake is a reflection of their limitations. Lost a match? They must be terrible at the game. Failed to land a key pitch? They must be stupid. Bombed a presentation? They must not be smart. Failed to deliver a project? All their effort is useless. Didn’t get a promotion? They are a loser.
People with a fixed mindset are more concerned with proving they are smart as opposed to learning something new. Instead of making an effort to build new skills, they choose to hide their shortcomings. In their world, saying “I don’t know” or asking for help signifies they are less competent. Instead of engaging in constructive criticism and seeking diverse opinions, they favor people who bolster their ego and reinforce their self-esteem. Every disagreement is an attack on their identity. Why would they care about doing the right thing, when all their energy is spent on being right?
No wonder, they refuse to step outside their comfort zone and stick to the known with fear of failure. They are quick to lose interest when things get challenging and often use phrases like - “It’s not for me!” “I can’t do it!” “It’s better to stick to what I know!” “I am who I am!” “I do not have the ability!” “I give up!” “I can’t learn!” The mindset that they cannot learn and improve limits them.
A fixed mindset tells them to:
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Avoid challenges
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Give up easily
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Believe their abilities cannot be developed
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Worry about how they will be judged
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Run from mistakes and ignore them
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Avoid new experiences with fear of failure
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Look for people who can reinforce their self-esteem
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Blame others for their failures
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Focus only on the outcome as it defines them
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Feel threatened by the success of others
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Ignore negative feedback even though it’s useful
Growth Mindset
A person with a growth mindset understands that certain people have special talents and that intelligence varies from person to person, but it’s also something that can be developed and increased with effort and hard work. They believe talent is not all there is to achievement as having a talent for something is different from excelling in it. Why think of talent as destiny when there’s merit in considering the importance of effort in shaping the person’s future?
They also admire successful people, not for who they are, but for what they do. It’s the hard work and determination behind the success that’s a source of their inspiration. While describing a growth mindset, Carol Dweck said “Even geniuses have to work hard for their achievements. And what’s so heroic, they would say, about having a gift? They may appreciate endowment, but they admire effort, for no matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”
They do feel bad, even frustrated at times when they fail or make mistakes. But failure doesn’t define them. Struggles and setbacks are an opportunity to embrace challenges, reach for their potential and build new skills. Instead of lamenting about their failures, they focus on what to do next. They try to figure out what they have done wrong, what they need to do differently, and when they need to ask for help. Failed a marketing campaign? Try new strategies. Struggling to solve a problem? Work harder. Lost a deal? Create a better sales pitch. Missed a deadline? Build estimation skills.
People with a growth mindset orient towards learning. When they don’t know something, they express their ignorance and seek opinions to build a better viewpoint. When they don’t have the required skills to complete a task, they stretch themselves to build new skills. When they aren’t able to make progress, they do not hesitate to reach out for help. Not knowing something is not a measure of their worth, it’s an opportunity to grow. This mindset makes them surround themselves with people who challenge them, who are better than they are, who inspire, nudge and push ahead to the possibilities of a better future.
Growth mindset enables them to embrace challenges without fear of failure. They take joy in the learning process. Things get interesting when they get challenging as it’s the moment to try different strategies, dive into new information, push themselves, expand their skills and take constructive action. Growth drives their thinking and they often use phrases like - “I want to try and not give up!” “I can do it!” “I want to explore new ideas!” “I can learn from my mistakes!” “I just don’t know yet!” “I can do better!” “I believe in myself!” “It’s ok to fail!”
A growth mindset tells them to:
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Accept challenges
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Persevere in the face of failures and setbacks
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Believe in growing their abilities
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Think about what they can learn
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Engage with the mistake with a desire to correct it
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Embrace novelty to master new skills
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Look for people who challenge them to grow
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Take responsibility for their failures
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Focus on the process and learning without obsessing about the outcome
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Find inspiration in others' success
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Accept criticism as a way to learn
What are some helpful resources on fixed and growth mindset?
Here are a few resources to help you better understand Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset.
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