Today’s Navigate the Chaos question is “Do you have a growth or a fixed mindset?”
The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once observed, “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I do not believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances that they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”
How often do you find yourself blaming their circumstances? How often do you create the circumstances that you so desire? While Shaw has a point, it might be more exact to say that ‘the people who get on in this world’ have a growth mindset.
In her 2006 publication Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck concluded that people have either "fixed" or "growth" mindsets. Those with a fixed mindset believe that “they are the way they are.” This mindset believes that one’s level of athleticism and mathematical capacities are fixed and have little room for improvement.
Believing they are born with a certain amount of talent, fixed mindset individuals seldom challenge their abilities due to the possibility of failure. Fixed mindset individuals see improvement as a zero-sum game where there is a chance of failure.
Those with a growth mindset, however, believe that they can improve by exercising their brain through hard work and practicing skills like athleticism. Growth mindset individuals have a desire to improve and view such development, even with its risk of failure, as a positive-sum game.
This dedication to improvement drives growth mindset individuals forward despite great odds.
The good news, says Dweck, is that mindsets are not set: at any time, you can learn to use a growth mindset to achieve success and happiness. This is a serious, practical book. Dweck's overall assertion that rigid thinking benefits no one, least of all yourself, and that a change of mind is always possible, is welcome.
Do you have a fixed or growth mindset? How do you know? Take the growth mindset quiz below to determine your mindset.
Growth Mindset Quiz
Directions: This quiz tests your awareness of the differences between growth and fixed mindsets. For each of the following statements write down whether it belongs to a fixed or growth mindset. Answers are on the following page. For example: “Intelligence is something people are born with that can’t be change.” Does that statement belong to someone who a growth or fixed mindset?
Intelligence is something people are born with that can’t be changed.
No matter how intelligent you are, you can always be more intelligent.
You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.
You are a certain kind of person, and there is not much that can be done to really change that.
You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are.
Musical talent can be learned by anyone.
Only a few people will be truly good at sports you have to be “born with it.”
Math is much easier to learn if you are male or maybe come from a culture who values math.
The harder you work at something, the better you will beat it.
No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially.
Trying new things is stressful for me and I avoid it.
Some people are good and kind and some are not it’s not often that people change.
I appreciate when people, parents, coaches, teachers give me feedback about my performance.
I often get angry when I get negative feedback about my performance.
All human beings are capable of learning.
You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are.
You can do things differently, but the important parts of who you are can’t really be changed.
Human beings are basically good, but sometimes make terrible decisions.
An important reason why I do my school work is that I like to learn new things.
Truly smart people do not need to try hard.
Questions:
What three or five statements above do you agree with? Why is that?
Can you demonstrate examples from your life for two or more of the statements?
Have you seen others exemplify one or more of these statements?
Answers to Growth Mindset Quiz
Intelligence is something people are born with that can’t be changed. FIXED
No matter how intelligent you are, you can always be more intelligent. GROWTH
You can always substantially change how intelligent you are. GROWTH
You are a certain kind of person, and there is not much that can be done to really change that. FIXED
You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are. GROWTH
Musical talent can be learned by anyone. GROWTH
Only a few people will be truly good at sports you have to be “born with it.” FIXED
Math is much easier to learn if you are male or maybe come from a culture who values math. FIXED
The harder you work at something, the better you will beat it. GROWTH
No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially. GROWTH
Trying new things is stressful for me and I avoid it. FIXED
Some people are good and kind and some are not it’s not often that people change. FIXED
I appreciate when people, parents, coaches, teachers give me feedback about my performance. GROWTH
I often get angry when I get negative feedback about my performance. FIXED
All human beings are capable of learning. GROWTH
You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are. FIXED
You can do things differently, but the important parts of who you are can’t really be changed. FIXED
Human beings are basically good, but sometimes make terrible decisions. GROWTH
An important reason why I do my school work is that I like to learn new things. GROWTH
Truly smart people do not need to try hard. FIXED