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Welcome to Bite Size – our bi-monthly blog where we explore a topic in bite size form – short, sharp and easy to digest
“In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.”
Carol Dweck
At school, tests and exams focus on intelligence and knowledge, hence it is easy to see why some believe intelligence and brains are the only things needed for success.
But it is actually your attitude that will determine how well you do at any given task rather than your intelligence or talent. If you have a fixed mind-set you are going to struggle to move forward as you will be constrained by doubt, fear of failure and a belief you are who you are. However, a growth mind-set will give you the freedom to push forward and reach your goals, knowing you can improve with effort.
Growth mind-sets will outperform those with a fixed mind-set, even if they have a lower IQ, as they embrace challenges, treating them as an opportunity to learn something new.
This is the crux of it. When the going gets tough is when a growth mind-set is really tested. If you welcome setbacks with open arms then you have a growth mind-set. Success in life is defined by how you deal with failure.
But don’t despair if you feel your growth mind-set isn’t developed enough. You can always improve. Just follow these strategies to help your mind-set be as growth orientated as possible:
- Don’t stay helpless
- Be passionate
- Take action
- Go the extra mile
- Expect results
- Be flexible
- Don’t complain
Bring all of this together and focus on the small things. Making changes every day will put you on the path to growth.