Mindsets: Fixed vs. Mindsets: Fixed vs. GrowthGrowth

There are two There are two mindsets:mindsets:

FixedFixed

and Growthand Growth

Are people born Are people born smart? Do these smart? Do these people succeed people succeed

easily?easily?

Prime MinisterPrime Minister

Winston Churchill Winston Churchill REPEATEDREPEATED a a grade during grade during elementary schoolelementary school

He was placed in He was placed in the the LOWEST LOWEST division of the division of the LOWESTLOWEST class class

ComposerComposer

Beethoven’s teacher Beethoven’s teacher called him a called him a HOPELESSHOPELESS

composercomposer

He wrote He wrote 5 5 of his of his greatest greatest

SYMPHONIES SYMPHONIES while while DEAFDEAF

WriterWriter

Leo Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy dropped dropped out of collegeout of college

He was described He was described as both “as both “UNABLE UNABLE and unwilling toand unwilling to

LEARNLEARN" "

Role modelsRole models

……..Einstein'sEinstein's teacher said that he was teacher said that he was ‘academically subnormal‘academically subnormal’’

……..Michael Jordan'sMichael Jordan's coach said that he coach said that he wasn’t more talented than other peoplewasn’t more talented than other people……

……....Walt DisneyWalt Disney was told that he lacked was told that he lacked ‘creative imagination’‘creative imagination’

The two mindsets:The two mindsets:

Fixed:Fixed: Those with a Those with a FIXED MINDSETFIXED MINDSET tend to tend to

create create PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE goals. goals.

They believe that a person’s They believe that a person’s POTENTIALPOTENTIAL can be can be MEASUREDMEASURED.. They aim to receive They aim to receive validation from others.validation from others.

Receiving low marks mean that they are Receiving low marks mean that they are not smart.not smart.

Both success and failure cause Both success and failure cause ANXIETY.ANXIETY.

When faced with failure or challenge, people with When faced with failure or challenge, people with a FIXED mindset:a FIXED mindset:

do not pay attention to learning informationdo not pay attention to learning information get depressed, become get depressed, become de-energisedde-energised and lose and lose

self-esteemself-esteem denigrate their intelligence: ‘I am stupid’, denigrate their intelligence: ‘I am stupid’,

they’ll thinkthey’ll think under-represent past successes and over-under-represent past successes and over-

represent failures (pessimism)represent failures (pessimism) explain the cause of events as something explain the cause of events as something

stable about them.stable about them.

Growth:Growth: Those with a growth mindset tend to create Those with a growth mindset tend to create

LEARNING LEARNING goals.goals.

The goal is The goal is MASTERY MASTERY and and COMPETENCE.COMPETENCE.

Scores and marks reflect how people are Scores and marks reflect how people are doing doing NOWNOW and do not measure a person’s and do not measure a person’s potential.potential.

Creating goals for learning has shown to Creating goals for learning has shown to INCREASE PERFORMANCEINCREASE PERFORMANCE and enjoyment and enjoyment and decrease negative emotion.and decrease negative emotion.

Pay attention to learning IPay attention to learning I Focus on what they are learning, rather Focus on what they are learning, rather

than focusing on how they feel.than focusing on how they feel. Try out new ways of doing things and seek Try out new ways of doing things and seek

out challengesout challenges Use self-motivating statements such as ‘ Use self-motivating statements such as ‘

the harder it gets the harder I try’.the harder it gets the harder I try’. Don’t always know how to do something at Don’t always know how to do something at

firstfirst

EffortEffort Those with a Those with a fixed fixed

mindsetmindset view effort as a view effort as a reflectionreflection of of low low intelligenceintelligence..

Hard work means ‘I Hard work means ‘I don’t get it’, ‘I’m don’t get it’, ‘I’m unintelligentunintelligent

Effort = lack of abilityEffort = lack of ability

Those with a Those with a growthgrowth mindset see effort as a mindset see effort as a necessary part of necessary part of successsuccess..

They They try hardertry harder when when faced with a setback.faced with a setback.

Effort = success.Effort = success.

They use effort to They use effort to overcome overcome difficulty.difficulty.

Strategies:Strategies: growth mindsetgrowth mindset

People adopting a growth mindset tend to People adopting a growth mindset tend to generate other, and new, ways to do generate other, and new, ways to do things.things.

If one route doesn’t work they will try If one route doesn’t work they will try others.others.

They will think ‘outside of the box’ to They will think ‘outside of the box’ to solve problems because they believe that solve problems because they believe that they ‘can’.they ‘can’.

Strategies: Strategies: fixed mindsetfixed mindset

Carol Dweck has found that students with Carol Dweck has found that students with a fixed mindset keep using the wrong a fixed mindset keep using the wrong strategy when faced with a problem.strategy when faced with a problem.

Then they disengage from the problem.Then they disengage from the problem.

Finally, they give up.Finally, they give up.

All of the areas of the brain All of the areas of the brain

……like sound, communication, problem-like sound, communication, problem-solving…solving…

are made of cells calledare made of cells called

NEURONSNEURONS

They transmit information all around the They transmit information all around the brain.brain.

Neurons pass information Neurons pass information through CONNECTIONS through CONNECTIONS with other neurons at with other neurons at

SYNAPSESSYNAPSES

Learning helps our neurons GROW.Learning helps our neurons GROW.

The more we learn, the more connections The more we learn, the more connections they make.they make.

As you approach a challenge:As you approach a challenge:THE FIXED-MINDSET says “Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t THE FIXED-MINDSET says “Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent.”have the talent.”THE GROWTH-MINDSET answers, “I’m not sure I can do it now, but I THE GROWTH-MINDSET answers, “I’m not sure I can do it now, but I think I can learn to with time and effort.”think I can learn to with time and effort.”FIXED MINDSET: “What if you fail—you’ll be a failure”FIXED MINDSET: “What if you fail—you’ll be a failure”GROWTH MINDSET: “Most successful people had failures along the GROWTH MINDSET: “Most successful people had failures along the way.”way.”FIXED MINDSET: “If you don’t try, you can protect yourself and keep FIXED MINDSET: “If you don’t try, you can protect yourself and keep your dignity.”your dignity.”GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t try, I automatically fail. Where’s the GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t try, I automatically fail. Where’s the dignity in that?”dignity in that?”As you hit a setback:As you hit a setback:FIXED MINDSET: “This would have been a snap if you really had talent.”FIXED MINDSET: “This would have been a snap if you really had talent.”GROWTH MINDSET: “That is so wrong. Basketball wasn’t easy for GROWTH MINDSET: “That is so wrong. Basketball wasn’t easy for Michael Jordan and science wasn’t easy for Thomas Edison. They had a Michael Jordan and science wasn’t easy for Thomas Edison. They had a passion and put in tons of effort.passion and put in tons of effort.As you face criticism:As you face criticism:FIXED MINDSET: “It’s not my fault. It was something or someone else’s FIXED MINDSET: “It’s not my fault. It was something or someone else’s fault.”fault.”GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me GROWTH MINDSET: “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me listen—however painful it is– and learn whatever I can.”listen—however painful it is– and learn whatever I can.”