Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset and 6 Questions to Ask

Research has shown that adopting a growth mindset can be a powerful tool for achieving your goals. Believing that you can improve at something is the first step to improving. This is a concept developed by Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University. In her book Mindset, The New Psychology of Success, she discusses how people with a growth mindset believe intelligence and talents can be cultivated through effort, good teaching, and persistence. 

Here is what this post will cover:

• What is a Growth Mindset?
• What is a Fixed Mindset?
• How does Having a Growth Mindset Help you and the People Around you?
• 7 Benefits of Having a Growth Mindset
• Small Actions to Start Fostering a Growth Mindset? 6 Questions to Ask

What is a Growth Mindset?

According to Entrepreneur Media website, a growth mindset is "a belief that a person's abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work". Someone with a growth mindset believes people can improve at things through practice and effort. This contradicts a fixed mindset, which is the idea that we develop certain traits before birth and can't improve on those. 

A growth mindset is crucial for those who want to improve their private or professional lives. Because it means that you believe your skills can be improved, and you will love what you learn and be more persistent. You can learn more here on Carol Dweck`s Blog: Carol Dweck: A Summary of Growth and Fixed Mindsets

What is a Fixed Mindset?

The fixed mindset is a belief that intelligence and talent are unchangeable. People with fixed mindsets often believe there's not much they can do to change their intelligence level, skills, or life situation.

People with a growth mindset are better at bouncing back after getting knocked down because they believe they can be successful again. People with a fixed mindset tend to get too discouraged by those failures and don't even want to try anymore. 

Here are some common traits of a fixed mindset:

1. Believing your basic qualities are unchangeable. You believe you have a specific, unchangeable talent or intelligence and prefer to stick to the known tasks rather than believing in yourself and choosing to improve your abilities.
2. Thinking you have little control over the outcome of events and being stagnant even when you know things need to change.
3. Believing that success means always being better than others. Instead of acting to improve yourself, you constantly complain and compare yourself with others.
4. Believing that it's too late to make changes in your life because of various reasons. This can sometimes be thinking you are too old for something, sometimes staying in an unhappy and toxic job and not taking actions to change it just because you believe you cannot have a better one, staying in an unhappy situation because you think you invested too many efforts or too many years to it.
5. Focusing only on the outcomes rather than recognizing the lessons and opportunities the journey can give you.

How does Having a Growth Mindset Help?

With a growth mindset, you can learn and grow in challenging environments. And the good news is that you can choose to foster a growth mindset. You can learn more here on Carol Dweck`s Blog: Carol Dweck: A Summary of Growth and Fixed Mindsets

6 Benefits of Having a Growth Mindset

1. It will help you learn from your mistakes.

2. It helps with self-esteem because you know you can improve with practice. 

3. You will stay more motivated when things don't go as planned.

 4. You will find it easier to build relationships with others, celebrate their success, and even get motivated and inspired.

5. You will be more open to change.

6. You will be open to feedback, even asking for feedback proactively. 

Small Actions to Start Fostering a Growth Mindset? 6 Questions to Ask:

Remember, having a growth mindset just means you have a different perspective and are open to change. And although in general you might have a growth mindset, in some situations you can have fixed mindset, too.

 If you want to practice having a growth mindset, start by believing you have it within your power to make a change for the better.

What are some small actions you can take? Here are some example questions to help you find yours.

1. What are your strengths? Write down your top 10 strengths.

What are your strengths and values? What does success or fulfilment in life or career look like to you? What is it really going to take to get there?

2. What new skills do you want to learn? Which ones will you start learning?
3. How will you focus on the progress rather than only the goal?
4. How will you practice self-compassion when you fail?
5. How will you practice being grateful for your journey? Thankfulness for both small and large adversities can help keep you be motivated.
6. How will you celebrate the success of others or help some people succeed?

Having a growth attitude can make a big difference in your career and life. You can embrace the power of a growth mindset by asking yourself the right questions and taking steps to foster a growth mindset.

✅If you liked this, you might also find this post interesting✅:

Top 10 Skills to Learn in 2023. Best Skills to Start Improving. (coachdigital.ch)

Resources: 

•  Understanding The Growth Mindset (entrepreneur.com)
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
• Develop Good Habits Blog