Do you have a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset?

It is with great interest that I read the book “Mindset — The New Psychology of Success — How we can learn to fulfill our potential”, Prof Carol Dweck, Professor at Stanford. She has one a spectacular job of researching tools and techniques for individuals and organizations to achieve their true potential. Her research also a great job of demystifying mis-conceptions that limit our ability to achieve our true potential.

What is a mindset?

Mindset is a simple idea discovered by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck based on decades of research on achievement and success — a simple idea that makes all the difference. Your Mindset is your collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape your thought habits. And your thought habits affect how you think, what you feel, and what you do.Your Mindset impacts how you make sense of the world, and how you make sense of you. Think about your intelligence, your talents, your personality… Are these qualities simply fixed traits, carved in stone and that’s that? Or are they things you can cultivate throughout your life?

Every one of us have at gone through incorrect notions such as:

Intelligence is Fixed, if I have to try, I am clearly not smart… no point in trying if one is not a “natural”… at one time or the other in our lives — in sports, education, arts, our profession, etc. Prof Dweck classifies this as Fixed Mindset.

In contrast people and organizations that embody the Growth Mindset espouse the view that: Intelligence is malleable.. Trying harder makes you smarter… Obstacles can be overcome through effort and improved strategy. Most importantly, it is NOT about just trying harder but also embracing better strategies and seeking appropriate coaching and counsel.

Fixed vs Growth?

The following are some of the attributes of the 2 mindsets. Clearly every one of us and every organization is One or the Other in all spheres, we embrace the Fixed Mindset in some areas and Growth Mindset in other areas,. Also, it is hardly a binary, but rather a continuum.

How to cross the chasm?

How do we graduate from Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset?

Most of us are not purely fixed-mindset people or growth-mindset people. We’re both. When I was reading the book, I realized that I have approached some things with a growth mindset (like bridge) while other things in a fixed mindset (like basketball). The greatest virtue of the book is that you can’t help but ask yourself things like, “Which areas have I always looked at through a fixed-mindset lens?” and “In what ways am I sending the wrong message to my children [students] about mindset and effort?” — Bill Gates

Growth coach, Dr Amanda Crowell has words of wisdom for us We can help ourselves adopt a growth mindset — and it’s particularly important to do so when beginning something new. If you go out for a run and find that you can’t jog for longer than a minute, resist the instinct to say, “See, I knew I wasn’t meant to do this!” Instead, use a growth-mindset response. Tell yourself, “I’m on day one of getting stronger and faster. Go me!” It’s important that you’re patient and kind to yourself. You’ll be making serious progress before you know it. Most importantly, no matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch –Amanda Crowell

In summary

Nobody’s mindset is totally Fixed or Growth. There may be a few extreme cases, but most of us lie somewhere in between the two. We show different mindsets in different situations, depending on how we formed our belief or attitude about our particular abilities/ideas. Your Growth Mindset will enable you to work towards a better version of yourself by pushing through comfort zone boundaries and learning from mistakes or short falls. You will inspire others to also work towards their Growth Mindset and hopefully open a circle of communication and learn off each other. A Growth Mindset is a positive way of thinking.

How can KloudLearn help?

As Prof Dweck has mentioned, transitioning from Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset requires more than hard work, it requires pertinent tools and techniques. KloudLearn, is an LMS 2.0 platform. Combining LMS 1.0 and LXP (Learning Experience Platforms) and powered by an AI engine, KloudLearn can serve as the foundation for continuous learning, reskilling, etc. to help individuals and organizations achieve their true potential.

References:

Indiana University, South Bend, Class Notes Ricoh Corporation employee training material “Mindset — The New Psychology of Success — How we can learn to fulfill our potential”, Prof Carol Dweck,