“What are the consequences of thinking that your intelligence or personality is something you can develop, as opposed to something that is a fixed, deep-seated trait?” Carol Dweck Mindset
The next two blogs in this series on self-help psychology books (and podcasts and videos) that I often recommend to clients are on two excellent and popular books about mindset – Carol Dweck Mindset: The New Psychology of Success and Angela Duckworth Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
Carol Dweck significantly influenced Angela Duckworth, their combined body of work being described as a complementary, and at times overlapping, framework that helps individuals sustain long-term goals. Both Dweck’s Mindset and Duckworth’s Grit are frequently cited as the two most influential social science texts in recent decades regarding achievement, effort, and success.
Best-selling book, popular TEDtalk
Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University. Her book Mindset was included on the Wall Street Journal’s best-seller list the first week it was released and continues to sell in large numbers. She also has one of the most-viewed TEDtalksof all time:
https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve
A growth mindset assumes abilities can be developed through effort and learning, embracing challenges. A fixed mindset views intelligence and other human traits as static, leading to avoidance of challenges and fear of failure. She describes “two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve.” Operating in this space which is just outside of your comfort zone is the key to improving your performance. “Are you not smart enough to solve it …. or have you just not solved it yet?”
Children facing challenges
Dweck researched mindset in children working through problems in the classroom:
“I wanted to see how children coped with challenge and difficulty, so I gave 10-year olds problems that were slightly too hard for them. Some of them reacted in a shockingly positive way. They said things like, “I love a challenge”. They had what I call a growth mindset. But other students felt it was tragic, catastrophic. From their more fixed mindset perspective, their intelligence had been up for judgment and they failed. Instead of luxuriating in the power of yet, they were gripped in the tyranny of now.”
A measurable effect
Scientists have been able to measure the electrical activity from the brain as students confronted an error and can differentiate between growth and fixed mindset students by examining their brain activity. Fixed mindset students who run from the tests show little brain activity, they aren’t engaging with it. But students with the growth mindset, engage deeply, learn from it, correct it and their increased brain activity can be tracked.
Fixed vs Growth – the key differences
1. Fixed Mindset
People with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence, talent, and ability are static traits—you either have them or you don’t. As a result:
- They avoid challenges to avoid failure.
- They give up easily when things get hard.
- They see effort as a sign of low ability (“If I was clever, this would be easy”).
- They feel threatened by the success of others.
This mindset can lead to plateaued achievement, anxiety, and defensiveness.
2. Growth Mindset
In contrast, people with a growth mindset believe that abilities can be developed with effort, learning, and persistence. As a result:
- They embrace challenges as opportunities to grow.
- They persist through setbacks.
- They see effort as essential for mastery.
- They are inspired by and learn from the success of others.
This mindset leads to greater resilience, higher achievement, and a deeper love of learning.
Dweck found that praising students for effort rather than intelligence fosters a growth mindset. Instead of saying “You’re so smart,” say “You worked really hard on that.”
Elite athletes, successful organisations, even personal relationships
Elite athletes often share the growth mindset. They don’t see failure as a verdict on their talent, but as feedback for improvement. Michael Jordan, often cited in her book, attributes his success to failure!
Companies that embrace a fixed mindset culture tend to stifle innovation, hide mistakes, and play it safe. Growth mindset organisations, on the other hand, foster learning, collaboration, and adaptive leadership. Leaders with a growth mindset are more likely to invest in their people, tolerate failure as part of growth, and focus on long-term development.
Mindset even affects how we handle personal relationships. A fixed mindset might lead someone to think, “If this were the right person, it wouldn’t be so hard.” But a growth mindset encourages the view that relationships take work, learning, and adaptation.
We are not simply one or the other
It’s important to say that most people don’t fall neatly into one category. You may have a growth mindset about your artistic abilities but a fixed mindset about your mathematics skills. Once you understand where your fixed mindsets are operating, you can start to change them.
How to develop a growth mindset
Dweck’s research doesn’t just explain the theory—she also offers practical steps to help you develop a growth mindset:
1. Listen to Your Inner Dialogue
Start noticing the voice in your head when you face a challenge. Is it saying:
- “I’m just not good at this” (fixed)?
- Or “I’m not good at this yet” (growth)?
That small word—yet—makes a huge difference.
2. Embrace Challenges
Start choosing tasks that push you outside your comfort zone. Struggle is not a sign of failure—it’s the process of growth.
3. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Outcomes
Reward yourself (and others) for the work, the persistence, and the learning process—not just the result.
4. Reframe Failure
See mistakes as feedback, not a verdict. Ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?” or “What would I do differently next time?”
5. Model a Growth Mindset for Others
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or team leader, you influence the mindset of those around you. Demonstrate your own learning journey. Share your struggles. Praise growth over perfection.
Some more videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-71zdXCMU6A Carol Dweck talks at Google The growth Mindset
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrZev2Y37ZQ Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset on the podcast The Art of Manliness
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If you are struggling with any of the issues raised in this article, or indeed any other emotional issues or life challenges and would like to talk things over in complete confidentiality, contact me:
See also: Books, videos and podcasts, How to Master Anxiety, Resilience : Hard-won Wisdom for Living a Better Life
