Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

What if I were to tell you that having a fixed mindset prevents you from succeeding further in life? It’s true. You believe you have fixed intelligence, have set abilities, are only talented in specific areas, and you only use the tools that you have been given. You dream about reaching for the stars, but you know it is impossible, so you do not bother to look at them. You do not think for a second that it is possible to create new tools, that your intelligence can grow if you unlock your mind, and your abilities can be added to if you simply walk outside your door. You can be incredibly talented if you take the time to try something new. I guess it makes sense though, many of us struggle with the concept of time. It feels impossible for us to make time, so we settle with the fixed mindset. However, this does not have to be the case. It all starts with organizing your thoughts, then learning how to manage your time. From there, it becomes easier to look at the bigger picture and find ways to accomplish your goals. The fixed mindset is meant to grant you limited success. but the growth mindset is there to remind you that your possibilities are endless.

In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
—Carol Dweck, Stanford University