Mindset

What is mindset?

Mindset is what we believe about our ability to improve our skills.

What type of mindset exist?

There are two types of mindset:

• Growth mindset: when one believes that our abilities can be improved. Some characteristics of a growth mindset are:
  • intelligence and abilities can be improved with effort and good strategies.
  • Be successful means committing to learning and growth.
  • Failure means not utilising our potential and not learning from our mistakes.
  • Effort is necessary in every field.
  • Intelligent is who learn and improve.
  • Criticisms are a way to growth.
• Fixed mindset: when one believes that our abilities are fixed and cannot be improved. Some characteristics of a fixed mindset are:
  • intelligence and abilities cannot be changed and are only defined by genetics.
  • Success and failure are defined by a single event.
  • Mistakes are not admitted.
  • Commitment is useful only for those who lack talent.
  • Criticisms are considered negative.
  • Intelligent is who do the right things immediately.

Which mindset is better?

Some researches suggest that having a growth mindset is more effective than having a fixed mindset to learn new abilities and improve in life. Other researches suggest that having a growth mindset does not work and learning and improvement are defined by other factors.

What is the relation between mindset and motivation?

I have not found sufficient data about this relation. However it seems to be a tendency that having a growth mindset increases motivation.

Can mindset be changed? If yes, how?

Yes, being mindset a belief, it can be changed using the same strategies used to change beliefs.

In particular it is useful to see when we show a fixed mindset, for example, when we experience specific emotions, when we are dealing with a challenge or when we make mistakes. This can help us better understand what triggers a fixed mindset.

How to develop a growth mindset in particular in children?

It is necessary to teach to children that:

• The effort made to improve is more important than talent.
• In case of failure, it should be made clear that others have tried harder, and if one wants to do well, they have to try harder and find better strategies.
• It is important not waste our potential.
• Challenges are opportunity for learning and growth.

My Considerations about Mindset:

• Having a growth mindset is not sufficient to learn and improve because it is also necessary to have:
  • useful feedback
  • good strategies
  • learn and correct mistakes.
• Growth mindset is a necessary but not sufficient condition to improve because if one does not have a growth mindset, it is likely that they lack the motivation necessary to learn and improve.
• I do not know if researches will confirm or deny that there is a significant correlation between a growth mindset and learning and improvement, however I believe that it is better to hold a growth mindset belief than to hold a fixed mindset belief.

References

• Mindset | Carol Dweck | 2007
• Does growth mindset actually work? | Marc Effron | 2021