“Creating a passion for learning rather than a hunger for approval”

Two Mindsets Chart from Carol Dweck’s book:
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Some questions to expand your thinking about Fixed or Growth Mindset: (Excerpted from Carol Dweck’s book pages 80,142)

• Think about your hero. Do you think of this person as someone with extraordinary abilities who achieved with little effort…just a natural? Now find out the truth. Find the tremendous effort that went into their accomplishments and learn what it really took.
• Think of when other people outdid you and you just assumed they were smarter or more talented. Now consider the idea that they just used better strategies, taught themselves more, practiced harder, and worked their way through obstacles. It’s your choice.
• Are there situations where you feel stupid- where you disengage your intelligence to ponder the thought of your lack of intelligence? Next time you’re in one of those times, think of the Growth Mindset. Think about learning and improvement, not judging your self-and hook your intelligence back up.
• Do you label your kids? This one is the artist and that one is the scientist. Next time remember you are not helping them. Dweck’s exhaustive research demonstrates praising kid’s ability actually lowered their Intelligence Quotient. Find a Growth Mindset way to compliment them.
• Are you in a Fixed Mindset or Growth Mindset workplace? Do you feel people are just judging you or are they helping you develop? Maybe you could try and make it a more Growth Mindset place, starting with yourself. Are there ways you could be less defensive about your mistakes? Could you profit more from the feedback you get? Are there ways you could create more learning experiences for yourself?

“Unfortunately people often like the things that work against their growth. People like to use their strengths. They like to achieve quick, dramatic results, even if they aren’t developing new skills they will need later on. People like to believe they are as good as everyone says and not take their weaknesses seriously as they might. People don’t like to hear bad news or get criticism. There is tremendous risk …in leaving what one does well to attempt to master something new.” Morgan McCall; High Flyer