A coaching client recommended a wonderful book to me called Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck.
Dweck has some interesting illustrations about the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Her terms aptly describe each mindset.
People with a growth mindset are always interested in growth and learning. They look for the lessons in failures or setbacks and examine how they can do better next time.
She uses Michael Jordan as an example of someone with a growth mindset. She talks about how he increased the intensity of his practice after being cut from his high school basketball team. She also relates the story of Jordan relying on his past success when he returned to basketball after a stint playing baseball. After a dismal season, he resumed his formerly diligent practice and the Bulls won the NBA title for the next three years.
Michael Jordan’s growth mindset is contrasted to former tennis great John McEnroe’s fixed mindset. McEnroe rarely took responsibility for his losses. He always blamed his loss on an external reason—the weather, the tabloids, his health.
Dweck talks about the dangers of putting too much stock in talent and that anyone can improve with practice. If we rely too much on what we believe to be natural talent, we may want to protect our image rather than develop our talent.
This theory made a lot of sense to me. I like to think of myself as always having a growth mindset, yet I can identify times when that’s not so. As I cleaned out my office recently, I came across evidence of a place I got stuck in a fixed mindset.
I had signed up for a writing workshop, which is different than a class. At a workshop, you bring work to be critiqued. When I signed up, I didn’t understand the distinction between class and workshop.
There were 8 excellent writers in the workshop—and me. You’d think I’d be thrilled to be with such good writers. That wasn’t the case. I felt intimidated and kept telling myself how much more talent they had than me. I ended up dropping the workshop
What I found when cleaning my office was a file with work that I had submitted for critique. I never read the comments.
What Dweck talked about rang true to me. Stuck in the belief that writing is a talent, I didn’t work harder when amongst accomplished writers. Instead I shrunk back and used the belief that writing is a talent as an excuse.
It was much easier reading about fixed mindset people in Dweck’s book than facing the places in my own life where I get stuck in a fixed mindset. I’ve committed to spend time with the class’s comments on my work and look for ways to improve my writing. And keep myself open to a growth mindset in all areas.
What makes sense to you about the idea of growth versus fixed mindsets?
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