Mindset by Carol Dweck

Fixed mindset

Where we think that skills, abilities and qualities are pre-ordained, immutable and almost nothing can be done to change that.

The cult of the “naturals“: You either have it or you don’t.

Someone’s true potential is known from the outset.

Since your potential is fixed, every situation calls for validation that you’re better than the rest.

Dislike challenges because failure is proof you were never good enough. Just one test can undo you and setbacks label you.

Growth mindset

Where we think that skills, abilities and qualities are things that can be improved upon by effort and help from others.

The cult of the “strivers“: With effort you can get better at it.

Someone’s true potential is unknown (and unknowable).

Since your potential can change, every situation is a chance to learn more and grow it.

Excited for challenges because if you fail then you’ll have found a next level for growth.

The way we think about ourselves (either through a fixed or growth mindset) has knock on effects on the rest of our lives.

Operating from a fixed mindset

• You think ability comes from natural talent.
• You don’t want to put extra effort because that will mean you don’t have what it takes. Without effort your ability does not grow.
• Times of failure make you think “Do I even have it?“.
• You take feedback as an insult to your identity because if you really had the talent then there would be no need for feedback.
• You think of yourself as a finished product.
• You assume fixed traits in others too – first impression is the last impression. You are surprised (even jealous) when they achieve something big.
• Other people are judges of your worth.

Operating from a growth mindset

• You think ability comes from consistent effort.
• You want to put extra effort because you never assumed you had innate talent and knew effort was required. Through effort you grow in ability.
• Times of failure make you curious as to what can be improved next time.
• You take feedback as a comment on performance because your identity is separate from what you do.
• You think of yourself as work-in-progress.
• You assume others can grow too – first impression is just one data point. You are energised when they achieve something.
• Other people are allies in your growth.

Dr. Dweck addresses some confusion that has emerged over the years as to what exactly growth mindset is and why one needs it.

1. Firstly, growth mindset is just the belief that change in skill and ability is possible. It is not about the magnitude of change or the time it will take or whether the change will lead to the desired outcome or whether change is even actually possible.
2. Growth mindset is needed because every day life presents us with newer and sometimes very difficult challenges. Fixed mindset would break down in such cases, “… instead of trying to learn from … failures, people with the fixed mindset … simply try to repair their self-esteem.“.

3. People with fixed mindset are not simply lacking in confidence and hence not expending effort. But their fixed mindset makes them value the protection of their self-worth higher than learning when the learning comes with a chance of failure.
4. People with fixed mindset can also work very hard. But they may continue to display other traits like believing their (and others) talents are immutable, resistance to feedback, taking failure as personal insult etc.
5. People with fixed mindsets can also be very successful, though they will prefer success that comes easy (as proof that they really had the talent).
6. Talent is not imaginary, people really can have more innate ability than others. But growth mindset is not about talent but about believing change is possible.

7. If you’re comfortable with the belief that that your abilities and talents are fixed then you don’t have to change them. Dr. Dweck says “If you like it, by all means keep it.“.
8. People are not binary between a growth and fixed mindset. Our mindset exists on a continuum (more in the next section).

Dweck acknowledges that labelling people as having either a fixed or growth mindset is a simplification meant to clarify her ideas.

In reality, our mindsets are much more dynamic and situational.

You might approach one area of your life, like learning a new hobby or the concept of “skill”, with a belief that it can be grown. At the same time, you might find yourself in a fixed mindset for other things.

For instance, when I take the mindset assessment with the operative word being “intelligence” I come out as a fixed mindsetter, but replace that word with “skill” and suddenly I am operating from growth mindset.

Her point is that while we may lean toward one mindset or the other in certain situations, we can work on recognising when a fixed mindset is holding us back and consciously shift toward a growth-oriented perspective.

This nuanced view makes her work both relatable and practical, as it allows for complexity and self-improvement.

No, fixed mindset is not always a bad thing, but its uses are limited compared to the growth mindset.

Our lives are all about change, and fixed mindset basically denies that change is possible, in this way it limits its usefulness to us.

For instance, a fixed mindset can give you confidence in situations where you are relying on well-established strengths. It can help you focus on what you already know and trust your instincts, especially in high-stakes or specialised scenarios.

But for the most part, we are better off operating from the growth mindset side of the continuum.

Dr. Dweck devotes a large portion of the book talking about people who have been known to display growth mindset, and also those who have displayed fixed mindset.

She draws lessons from several people in the world of sports and business, as well as lessons from people’s behaviour in their relationships.

In sports

• Growth mindset leads to the development of character, that is:
  • People with growth mindset enjoy the process (of learning and improving) as much as the results.
  • They find setbacks motivating because they point to an area where they can grow.
  • They take charge of the process and do not remain in victim mentality for very long.
• Some of the world’s best and most respected athletes did not start with a bang. They grew their skill over time.
• Sometimes being exceptionally talented can be a curse because it can make a person used to coasting to victory during their early career and develop a fixed mindset before the real competition shows up.

In business

• A culture that worships talent creates a fixed minded workforce. The author cites Malcolm Gladwell and gives the example of Enron and how the company “… worshiped talent, thereby forcing its employees to look and act extraordinarily talented.” to the point of lying about revenue and growth.
• On the other hand, growth minded leaders are not constantly trying to prove they are gifted, or highlighting the pecking order, or claiming credit or undermining others to fuel their ego.
• Growth minded leaders move forward with confidence based on facts and analysis and not fantasies about their God given abilities.
• Growth minded leaders are aware of the possibility of groupthink and postpone the decision when the meeting is becomes an echo chamber, they remind their staff not to place unlimited faith in their abilities. Nor do they punish responsible dissent.
• When hiring we should try to find those with skill, yes, but also a desire to learn and grow, openness to feedback and the grit to keep at hard things.
• For current employees, we need to train them in growth mindset – from a “culture of genius” to a “culture of development”.

In relationships

Note: The word “relationship” broadly used here such as husband-wife, father-son, brother-brother, sister-sister, friend-friend, teacher-student and so on.

• People who approach relationships with a growth mindset that “if it is meant to be then it will be” – instead they work on addressing their flaws and becoming a better partner in the relationship.
• They do not think that disagreements and differences of opinion are a sign of deep seated character flaws – instead they focus on root causing the issue. They do not think that, if only they could find them, somewhere out there exists a “perfect” partner.
• They try not to blame or become bitter and know that in any case they own one half of the relationship, they try to improve the half in their control.
• They do not think that the relationship is a contest – instead they think that the relationship is an exchange of value where both the parties make each other better.
• They are not delusional about the growth mindset itself, the fact that change is possible does not make them think they change is guaranteed. They know that their partner has to want to change first and are realistic when evaluating the relationship.

“You have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs. They’re powerful beliefs, but they’re just something in your mind, and you can change your mind.“.

This is the central refrain – that mindset can be changed. You can change your mindset about your skills and abilities, which will then have knock on effects on your behaviour and results.

Not surprisingly therefore, if you are coming from a fixed mindset, cultivating a growth mindset will take some time.

With all the practical benefits of operating from a growth mindset – the key question becomes how can one cultivate a growth mindset?

The author shares helpful case studies that demonstrate how one can operate from a growth mindset in diverse settings like when interacting with your partner, raising a child, applying for a college/job, performing in the field and so on.

Simply learning about the growth mindset makes us more likely to practice it. And the more we practice it, the more we realise that there is truth to it.

You can learn about growth mindset from Dr. Dweck’s book itself but there are also workshops, programs and mindset building exercises to explore further.

Dr. Dweck mentions the “Brainology” program in the book. I also found this website to be helpful, it contains both free and paid resources.

Like Henry Ford said: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.“. When you empower your thinking, you empower yourself.

First, limit thinking in terms of win/loss and increase thinking in terms of learning/not learning. We commonly use agent nouns when referring to ourselves such as “writer”, “actor”, “seller” – understand the intent behind these, they are telling you that you are someone who is still in the process, there is nothing final about you.

Second, view more learning = more growth. This will make you want to do hard things since the places where we learn the most is where we have the least experience. Dr. Dweck says this about people with the growth mindset: “The less they felt like it, the more they made themselves do it.“.

Third, don’t be afraid of your limitations, do not judge yourself, do not hide your insecurities, do not see criticism as indictment – since you view yourself one still in process there is no need for labelling or shyness.

Growth mindset is not just a feel good theory, you must put in the work to make your mind consider every opportunity as one for learning and growth by default, and this is not going to be easy especially if you’ve lived in the fixed mindset for a long time.

First, after every key event see where you went wrong and analyse areas of growth.

The military has something called an After Action Report (AAR) that I feel fits here as a template to follow.

After you have created the action plan at the end of the AAR, violently execute it at the next event and repeat.

Second, make a vivid, concrete plan – when, where, how – of how you will embody the growth mindset. There is usually a gap between two key events – and this is the perfect time to practice growth mindset.

For example, let’s say you did not crack the job interview, in this case you would benefit from an AAR-like exercise. But when are you going to do it? And where?

You’d say something like: Tomorrow after returning from the gym, I will make myself some nice coffee, lock myself in my office and analyse the questions I was not prepared for in the interview and specific steps I will take to avoid them next time.

Third, keep setting goals for growth. The moment you think you’ve “made it” you invite fixed mindset into your life. Know that there is always a next level.

Fourth, think about maintenance. Many of us live from the growth mindset for a time and when the results start coming in, our relationships start improving, our performance starts getting better – we revert to the fixed mindset.

Dr. Dweck reminds us that growth mindset is an ongoing exercise and not a one-and-done deal.

Dr. Dweck also lays out a four step process to cultivate growth mindset in ourselves.

1. Embrace your fixed mindset: Basically, this means accepting that you do operate from a fixed mindset some times if not all the time. Denying the fixed mindset even exists in you makes the entire process to shift to a growth mindset a non starter.
2. Identify your triggers: This means knowing when and where you enter a fixed mindset. It requires self-observation and curiosity to develop over time an understanding of the circumstances that will activate the fixed mindset in you.
   • It could be during challenge you’ve never faced before or something that you have traditionally struggled in like speaking in front of a group.
   • It could be when you interact with someone who is much better in an area you pride yourself in. Like me meeting someone from my MBA batch who has risen to the ranks of vice president in their company.
   • It could even be when you enter a particular location. Dr. Dweck points out the role stereotypes have in activating fixed mindset. If you know that you are likely to be negatively stereotyped – as a woman, a person of colour, a person with limited means, a person with a particular body form (lanky, fat, short etc.) – then you are more likely to be conscious of that stereotype when you find yourself in certain locations (like women in the boardroom, or an obese person in the gym, or a poor person in a upscale neighbourhood) and in turn activate fixed mindset.

3. Give them a name: Literally, give the different things that activate your fixed mindset an actual name. This requires you to be creative and also a little fearless because you’re honestly confronting your deeply held limiting beliefs. Let me explain through a few examples:
   • Example 1: Meet Darryl, he is my fixed-minded persona. Darryl really likes the good life and so he comes out only when I find myself in a posh area or in a chic crowd. Darryl forces me into showing-off all of my achievements and the fancy experiences I’ve had because he really does not like looking like a simpleton among all these fashionable people.
   • Example 2: I was with my friends from college and having a good time talking about the old days when a friend happened to mention that he had just been promoted to senior partner at his company. That was enough to make Nishant come out – oh and does he love making me feel bad about my limited professional success. Immediately, I found myself getting defensive, withdrawing from the conversation, and all the while Nishant telling me “See these people here, they are the winners, they have what it takes, they’ve been winning at life since they were kids and it’s no different now. On the other hand you have no x-factor, you have put effort even get through the work day and God forbid you ever lose your job – you’re never finding another one after that! Hold on tightly to whatever little you have and stop dreaming, you’ll never be at the level of these champions.”

4. Educate them and make them see better: Having named your fixed mindset personas and understood when and where they’re likely to arrive you are then ready to greet them.
   • Yes, greet them – tell them you were expecting them.
   • Tell them that you’d like to go ahead with it (whatever “it” is) and if you fail it’ll just prove them right. Ask them to bear with you.
   • If you fail then tell them that they were right – you do not have what it takes. But make sure you add a “, yet” at the end. Example, “You were right Nishant, I don’t have the leadership skills to be promoted to team lead role, yet”.
   • If you succeed then show them how things can change through effort. Tell them that its only when you tried that you got to know that it can be done.

Keep reminding yourself of the two mindsets. Dr. Dweck shares this infographic that she recommends we print and put at a place of easy visibility, like in our working space or on the bathroom mirror.

Teach them growth mindset

Similar to the point above, just learning about growth mindset makes someone more likely to believe in it and practice it.

Change the way you praise

Praise effort not innate ability. This is a very important point that may be sadly missing in how we parent today.

When children are constantly told they are naturally smart or gifted, they may develop a fixed mindset.

On the other hand, praising effort, strategies, and persistence fosters a growth mindset, reinforcing the idea that intelligence and skills can be developed.

For example, saying “I love how hard you worked on this problem” rather than “You’re so smart!”.

Change the way you respond

Talk more in terms of learning/not learning and less in terms of win/loss.

Talk about how your life has had many areas where you were unskilled at initially but over time with effort you increased your level. Better yet, give current examples of things you are struggling with but growing in. “… describe with relish things you’re struggling with and making progress on.“.

Similarly, encourage the children to talk about ways they learned or ways they’re learning to understand.

Get others in the loop

Most importantly the child’s teachers and coaches, who are the other adults apart from parents that the child would be spending a lot of time with.

They cannot be undoing your effort by behaving in a fixed mindset oriented way.

Separate your needs and desires from theirs

When children feel they must meet their parent’s expectations they may start to fear failure rather than embrace challenges.

A parent’s desire to live vicariously through their kids may push a child toward unrealistic standards and excessive focus on output, whereas a growth mindset encourages individual progress rather than competition.