Paw Print Writer: Olivia Benavidez
Essentially the definition of having a growth mindset is a person who welcomes challenges and believes skills are attainable by anyone given enough perseverance and practice. Fixed mindsets are individuals who believe that people are born with natural talents, and identify themselves in a category but don’t welcome challenges. They might think “ I’m not a math person, I do better with arts”. These can be negative internalized thoughts or biases, both internalized or environmental. An important fact to note, there is no such thing as a 100% growth mindset person. We all have areas where we inhibit more of a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. This can be internalized biases, cultural differences, and personal tastes.
Social Psychologist and Developmental Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck wrote a book about fixed and growth mindsets, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Dr. Dweck explains that a growth mindset is a key to success because it is persistence during difficult times. It is tied to Grit, and more gritty people tend to be more successful. The benefits of having an overall growth mindset: Flexibility, humility, creativity, and of course resilience. Flexibility can be extremely useful for changing daily schedules, changing career/study subjects, or whenever there is a creative hurdle in life. Speaking of creativity, adopting a growth mindset allows an individual of being more creative, or allows somebody to go outside their comfort zone and try something new.
Humans are extremely creative and it isn’t just for arts, but it can be strategy or problem-solving skills- all crucial for any curve ball life can throw at you. Humility is an underappreciated skill, being able to admit any wrongdoings take courage and honesty, and it leads to growth. Being humble also means that you’re a good winner who doesn’t boast and encourages others to do good as well. Resilience like this article mention is grit, it's to preserve during hard times and finish what has been started- which is especially important for deadlines and even graduating college or grad schools.
To switch from a Fixed mindset to a Growth mindset there are a few ideas Dr. Dweck has in mind: -See any challenge as a learning opportunity -Focus on the learning experience instead of the fear of failing -Seek motivation from yourself rather than the approval of others -Be willing to take risks (like picking a new subject, or trying a new hobby) -Foster a gritty attitude - Laugh at yourself, don’t take life too seriously - Continue challenging yourself regardless of age - Become a lifelong learner! - Find motivation from others
Additional tips: -Start small changes -Practice critical thinking -Practice till proficiency -Be patient, growth takes time -Try a new extracurricular activity outside your field of study -Participate in collaborative games -Finish what you started
Comments