Develop Growth Mindset

Impact of a Growth Mindset Over a Fixed Mindset

What Is a Growth Mindset?

More than 30 years ago, Carol Dweck and her team researched students' attitudes about failure. They observed that some students rebounded after failure while other students seemed devastated by even the smallest setback. After studying the performance of thousands of children, Dr. Dweck formulated the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset to describe the inherent beliefs people had about learning and intelligence.

In her revolutionary book, Mindset, Dr. Dweck explains that how people think about themselves affect their ability to to learn. Her research defined the differences between having a fixed mindset and having a growth mindset explaining that those with a fixed mindset believe that there is an upper limit to what we can learn and accomplish because our talents and abilities are fixed at birth.

Fixed Mindset Puts Children and Adults at Risk of Not Realizing Their True Potential

An example of how a fixed mindset limits a child's success can happen during any math class. A student struggles with a math concept and feels frustrated. The child thinks, "I'm just no good at math." He talks to a parent and expresses this idea, and the parent might respond by saying, "You are like me. I wasn't good at math either."

We can all identify. We know the areas where we struggle. The child carries this notion throughout life, never really trying to make or reach higher goals.

Neural Pathways

Our beliefs create strongly enforced neural pathways, and become fact to us.

Self-fulfilling prophecy is not what we are truly talking about here.

Dr. Dweck teaches that at the critical moments when a child is working and struggling to understand a math concept even if they fail, the brain synapses are at work. These crucial times during the learning process are when the brain and it's neurons are growing! New pathways are being created. Neurons are flying around the brain. If the child will persist, trusting in the informed teacher or parent who recognizes the truth behind growth mindset, the breakthrough will happen in time, with continued effort.

If a child can learn the benefits of thinking with a personal growth mindset, so can parents, teachers and families. All individuals who improve growth mindset practices, will feel the excitement, joy and confidence, knowing that adopting a growth mindset can help them at work, at school, in relationships and more. We can all be more resilient, creative and even smarter. It is true that using growth mindset can enhance the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in our lives. Wow. Limitless success. It is so important that we feel confidence in the growth mindset process and how the brain grows, because this gives us motivation to keep on keeping on. Success builds on success.

Struggle and failure are actually helpful for brain growth if we do not give up.

Athletes, musicians, artists and others who know the importance of practice understand the benefits that are to been found just beyond that extra team practice, that one more mile of running, or that one (or more) hour of piano practice before the big recital. Golfers keep practicing. They track their improvement.

Neuroscience the Growth Mindset

When we teach children in school the idea that failure in math isn't failure but a starting point for further work. A failure during a math quiz does not mean the child is not "goo in math." Rather, failure is only failure if we quit. When they realize that the teacher is not upset with the low grade but is encouraged by the struggle, effort and patience to keep on keeping on, the child will learn to persevere, and will gain further learning and confidence. And yes, science proves that the brain does truly grow.

It time to make your breakthrough, get unstuck and move ahead!

With a growth mindset, intelligence can be developed

Life is a learning opportunity. As you read this post, you'll learn more about growth mindset and the huge benefits available to every person through purposeful practice. It's hard sometimes to make changes but those who believe their abilities are malleable are more likely to embrace challenges and persist despite failure.

Check Out Your Underlying Attitudes About Failure

More than 30 years ago, Carol Dweck and her team researched students' attitudes about failure, and observed that some students rebounded after failure while other students seemed devastated by even the smallest setbacks. After studying the performance of thousands of children, Dr. Dweck formulated the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset to describe the inherent beliefs people had about learning and intelligence.