What is the difference between growth and fixed mindset?

So, you may be asking yourself “What exactly is a growth vs fixed mindset?” Well, a growth mindset is an actual, demonstrable psychological phenomenon. It turns out that many long-term successful individuals possess certain characteristics that they share with other long-term successful individuals. This set of characteristics has been termed a “growth mindset”. Now, some people, who tend to achieve less than their full potential, also possess a set of characteristics that they share with other under-achievers. This set of traits has been dubbed the “fixed mindset”. Most people, more or less, fall in one camp or the other.

Growth Mindset

People with a growth mindset tend to have a desire to learn from life. This desire leads to the ability to embrace challenges, to overcome setbacks. They see effort as worth the results, to accept criticism and to admire and learn from the successes of others. These behaviours allow native intelligence to grow throughout a lifetime. (Hence, the name.) People with a growth mindset are believers in free will and this belief allows them to achieve their goals time and time again.

Fixed Mindset

People with a fixed mindset tend to have a desire to appear smart, with a corresponding fear of looking foolish. Their desire leads them to avoid challenges, to give up easily, to see extra effort as wasted, to ignore or reject criticism and to envy and begrudge the success of others. These behaviours tend to limit native intelligence to a fixed amount. (Again, hence the name.)  People with a fixed mindset often plateau early in life and fail to have, let alone reach, fixed goals.

How to develop the right Mindset?

The good news is that a growth mindset can be cultivated fairly easily by changing some critical behaviours. First of all, you have to decide to choose growth over stagnation. You also have to be willing to take positive action and begin to accept challenges and criticism and learning from both. An excellent way to begin is by developing the philosophy of “yet”. This simple step simple attaches the word “yet” to the end of every negative thought, as in “That will never work, yet…” or “It’s probably not worth going, yet…” This simple trick opens up the possibility for growth and that possibility leads to changed behaviour that actually does cause the development of the growth mindset.

Having a clear goal, of what you want to achieve, is vital in achieving a growth mindset. It allows you to keep tabs on where you are going and whether or not you are on track. Having that focus is really important, especially when things do not go as you would expect them to. Instead of spinning wildly out of control because things aren’t going the way you want (Fixed Mindset). You are able to adjust your path, taking into account the change in direction and carry on towards your goal (Growth Mindset)

Positives of Developing a Growth Mindset

It has been proven that people with growth mindsets are  the most positive and successful people in life. Because of their ability to turn sometimes even major life experiences, into a positive life lesson. When people with a fixed mindset come into difficulties, they are left with nowhere to go, as it doesn’t appear in their life plan, so they are left floundering. They tend to see anything out side of their fixed mindset mentality as failure, so are a lot more prone to give up than a growth mindset person, who picks themselves up, shakes themselves down and carries on regardless.

People with a growth set are more likely to have more consistent moods and less affected by depression. This is because they are less affected by the  external world around them than someone with a fixed mindset, who are rocked by every ripple of change.