To put it simply, someone with a growth mindset believes their talents and skills can be nurtured. On the other hand, a fixed mindset is the belief that skills are innate and cannot be improved. Over the past few decades, many studies have proven the benefits of a growth mindset and how powerful it is.
The study of the growth mindset began with Dr. Carol Dweck. She and her colleagues noticed how some students stumbled on the smallest setbacks, while others persevered and grew from them. They coined the terms “growth mindset” and “fixed mindset” and concluded that students who believed they could improve put in more effort to do so and thus got better.
In more recent studies, neuroscience has proven that our brains’ neuroplasticity is more powerful than previously thought. With specific interventions, people can strengthen neuron connections and increase neural growth. Some of these interventions include practice, a healthy diet, and good sleep hygiene. Knowing our brains can be modified through actions, researchers have gone on to study how our mindsets affect our abilities.
In one study, 7th graders who were taught that brains are malleable saw significant growth in effort and grades compared to a control group. The researchers also learned that the teacher’s actions and responses to mistakes made a difference in the student’s performance.
So much is studied, but there is still much to discover, and even more information that the public may not know. So what are some misconceptions about the growth mindset?
Thinking that you always had a growth mindset: The growth mindset can be confused with optimism or positivity, but that isn’t necessarily true. In fact, no one has a pure growth mindset. The growth mindset is a spectrum, and everyone has different, constantly changing levels of it. Knowing this can increase the effects of the growth mindset on yourself.
Believing that praise and reward are just for the effort: People need praise for their progress as well. While effort is important, there should be a positive outcome. Thus, emphasizing the learning process and overcoming obstacles are crucial to improvement.
The belief that a growth mindset will always get good results: Having a growth mindset doesn’t equate to good results. You could end up messing up or having to quit a project. What’s more important is rebounding after those failed moments and learning from the mistakes.
People may not realize it, but everyone has certain triggers that automatically take us to a fixed mindset and trap us in our pessimistic beliefs. Unfortunately, holding onto a growth mindset is easier said than done. It may take time to adopt such thought processes, but the effort will pay off. The mind is stronger than you think; you are stronger than you think.
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