Do you believe that your intelligence and abilities are fixed, or do you think you can develop and improve them through hard work and dedication? This is the fundamental difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. In this article, we will explore what a growth mindset is, how it differs from a fixed mindset, and why it matters.
What is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is a belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges and view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. They believe that effort is essential for success and are willing to put in the work required to achieve their goals.
Read: The Fastest Way to Get Rid of Your Limiting Beliefs
Individuals with a growth mindset tend to be more resilient and adaptable than those with a fixed mindset. They are more likely to persist in the face of setbacks, take risks, and try new things. They also tend to have a more positive outlook on life and a greater sense of personal agency.
Shortly, I’ll share an exercise that you can explore if you’re looking to change your mindset.
Watch the video version:
What is a Fixed Mindset?
A fixed mindset, on the other hand, is a belief that one's abilities and intelligence are fixed and cannot be changed. Individuals with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges, fearing that failure will reveal their limitations.
They view failure as a reflection of their intelligence and tend to give up easily when faced with difficulties.
Individuals with a fixed mindset tend to have a negative outlook on life and a limited sense of personal agency. They may feel that their circumstances and abilities are predetermined, leaving them with little control over their lives.
Are there specific areas of your life where you recognize more of a growth or fixed mindset? It may be an opportunity for you to explore.
The good news is that you can change your mindset for success.
How I changed my fixed mindset to a growth mindset
Initially, I developed a growth mindset unconsciously. My passion and commitment to hobbies, such as playing the guitar and dedicating myself to the gym. These hobbies involved difficulty, discomfort, self-discipline, and failure, and encouraged personal growth.
It was in my final year of University when I noticed some big changes. I recall making a strong and committed decision to go all in on my education. Until that point, I had half-as*ed everything. Fortunately, it was only my final year that counted toward my overall grade. Something in my mind shifted and I was able to do extremely well.
Through my hobbies and passions, I developed the necessary skills to do well at most things (that I was interested in doing). It taught me that I was able to change my circumstances and results in life by shifting my limiting beliefs. Additionally, I learned that it’s way easier to succeed at things that we naturally value and have the desire to do well in.
Read: How to Change Your Mindset to Get Anything You Want
Differences Between Growth Mindset and Fixed Mindset
The differences between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset can be summarized as follows:
Beliefs About Intelligence: Individuals with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be developed through hard work and dedication, while those with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence is fixed and cannot be changed
Attitude Towards Challenges: Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges and view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, while those with a fixed mindset avoid challenges, fearing that failure will reveal their limitations.
Persistence: Individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to persist in the face of setbacks, while those with a fixed mindset tend to give up easily when faced with difficulties.
View of Effort: Individuals with a growth mindset believe that effort is essential for success, while those with a fixed mindset may view effort as a sign of weakness or lack of natural talent.
Outlook on Life: Individuals with a growth mindset tend to have a more positive outlook on life and a greater sense of personal agency, while those with a fixed mindset may feel that their circumstances and abilities are predetermined.
Why a Growth Mindset Matters
It’s been said that people with a growth mindset are more likely to achieve their goals, be more satisfied with their lives, and have better mental health than those with a fixed mindset. They are also more likely to seek out challenges and take risks, leading to greater opportunities for learning and growth.
Moreover, a growth mindset can be developed and nurtured over time. By embracing challenges, persisting in the face of setbacks, and learning from failure, individuals can cultivate a growth mindset and improve their abilities and intelligence.
Read: The Be Do Have Mindset
Growth Mindset Exercise
Whether you feel like your limiting beliefs are holding you back in life, or if you just want to cultivate a growth mindset, this will help. Abraham Hicks (one of my favourite teachers) has an exercise called the focus wheel. I decided to use this exercise to change to a growth mindset.
Let’s say there are certain areas of life where you feel more challenged than others, the goal is to shift your thinking to where you want it to be. But what if it feels too much of a jump? It’s not realistic to go from a deeply depressed place to feeling on top of the world just through a couple of new thoughts. That’s where the Abraham Hicks focus wheel comes into play.
Step #1: Draw a wheel similar to the one shown below. Divide the wheel into roughly 8-12 pieces.
Step #2: In the center, write down a desirable thought, belief, or thing that you want but maybe don’t quite feel as true yet.
Step#3: Begin writing down low-resistance thoughts and statements that feel true. It may help to make them non-specific. Doing so will remove more resistance.
Step #4: Each thought/statement is designed to help you get closer to the desired state without a significant jump.
The simplest way to look at this is to see it as a gradual process to shift your mindset.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can you have both a growth mindset and a fixed mindset?
A: While individuals may have tendencies towards one mindset or the other, it is possible to exhibit both mindsets in different situations. The key is to recognize when a fixed mindset is holding you back and work to shift towards