Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Book Review
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success fascinated me with its vast reach of applicable principles. Specifically to my own personal development, I could apply the concept to parenting my children, being a spouse to my husband, and how I approach each facet of my work. The notion that everything is movable brings a fresh perspective to every thought, idea, and dream.
"Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It's about seeing things in a new way. When people...change to a growth mindset, they change from a judge-and-be-judged framework to a learn-and-help-learn framework. Their commitment is to growth, and growth take plenty of time, effort, and mutual support."― Dweck
Let's take a second to understand what fixed and growth mean as spelled out in Mindset. "In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point." Conversely, "In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them."
One quote that stuck out to me and caused me to examine myself was this. "When do you feel smart? When you're flawless or when you're learning?" Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
It took me 30 years to overcome the belief I repeatedly ingrained in my head that I was not smart. I did not feel smart, I did not test smart; therefore, I believed that I was not smart. If you've ever been told you aren't good at math or you aren't a creative type, perhaps you recognize this mantra as well.
"What on earth would make someone a nonlearner? Everyone is born with an intense drive to learn. Infants stretch their skills daily - not just ordinary skills, but the most difficult tasks of a lifetime, like learning to walk and talk. They never decide it's too hard or not worth the effort. Babies don't worry about making mistakes or humiliating themselves. They walk, they fall, they get up. They just barge forward. What could put an end to this exuberant learning? The fixed mindset. As soon as children can evaluate themselves, some become afraid of challenges. They become afraid of not being smart. I have studied thousands of people from preschoolers on, and it's breathtaking how many reject an opportunity to learn." ― Dweck
It got me thinking, how could a growth mindset revolutionize how we approach our work? Dweck looks at the two types of CEOs and the ultimate success or demise they charted for the companies they were shepherding. "In the fixed mindset, everything is about the outcome. If you fail—or if you're not the best—it's all been wasted. The growth mindset allows people to value their actions regardless of the outcome . They're tackling problems, charting new courses, and working on important issues. Maybe they haven't found the cure for cancer, but the search was deeply meaningful." ― Dweck
As a business leader, I want my team to know their voice will be heard and every idea is worth sharing. I am a firm believer that you can not always assume that the smartest person is in charge.
Moreover, it has gripped me in rethinking how I parent my three little humans. I want to be the kind of parent who instills in my children a love for learning and tears down the barriers, good and bad, that will type them into a box. Be it at the free throw line of the basketball court or in the classroom. You aren't stuck being anything if your mind is open to growth.
"After seven experiments with hundreds of children, we had some of the clearest findings I've ever seen: Praising children's intelligence harms their motivation, and it harms their performance. How can that be? Don't children love to be praised? Yes, children love praise. And they especially love to be praised for their intelligence and talent. It really does give them a boost, a special glow—but only for the moment. The minute they hit a snag, their confidence goes out the window, and their motivation hits rock bottom. If success means they're smart, then failure means they're dumb. That's the fixed mindset." —Dweck
Yikes! As a serial kid praiser, I have a lot to learn and growth ahead of me. One phrase from the book we have adopted in our house on repeat is, "This is HARD! I LOVE IT!" –Dweck
When I've mentioned to anyone I would be reviewing Mindset this month, the overwhelming response has been excitement and adoration. Mindset is a book that presents practical methods useful to all ages and ranges. And if this is the first time anyone has told you today or in the past 30 years, allow me the pleasure of saying that you're smarter than you think because your learning is not even close to being complete. Let's GROW!
