What are Mindsets?
"Mindsets are just beliefs. They're powerful beliefs, but they're just something in your mind, and you can change your mind.
(Dweck, 2012)
Our mindset describes the way in which we think about and relate to ourselves based on our beliefs. It is our beliefs about our ability to do the things we want to do and the qualities we have, like our strengths, which can help us to learn, grow and achieve our goals.
We all approach learning new skills and challenging events in a different way. Dweck (2012) found that people respond to failure and success based on their beliefs about their ability and qualities. She suggests there are two meanings to ability; fixed ability and changeable ability. A fixed belief in ability takes the approach that you are naturally good or bad at something and there is nothing you can do to improve at something you’re naturally bad at. On the other hand, a changeable belief in ability means that you can cultivate and develop your skills through learning, even if you are not naturally gifted at what you’re doing.
As such, she identifies two different mindsets: Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset. Fixed mindset is when you believe that your skills and abilities or characteristics are ‘set in stone’ and cannot change. Growth mindset is when you believe that you can influence your skills, abilities or characteristics by purposefully trying to develop them. The images below highlight the differences in thinking between these two mindsets.
Fixed Mindset
I can’t do maths.
I’ll never change.
I’m rubbish at sports.
Growth Mindset
If I practice a lot I can improve at maths.
I know I can change over time.
If I run a little everyday, maybe I’ll be able to complete a 5K.
Aims
We hope by the end of this topic you will have:
- Learnt the difference between growth mindset and fixed mindset.
- Recognised the different contexts in which you might be in one mindset or the other, and thought about the relative benefits or disadvantages.
- Learnt about some basic principles about brain plasticity and neurogenesis and the implications when learning a new skill.
- Considered an approach that could be adopted to develop a growth mind set moving forward.
Consider more:
1) Do you recognise yourself as more often or not having either a fixed mindset or a growth mindset?
2) Can you think of a time when you have had a fixed mindset about your ability to do something?
You might want to make notes at this point. These may help you remember things, work out what you want or see how much you’ve changed if you read them again in a few years’ time.