Our mindset has a huge impact on our day to day life as well as our overall perception of the world. Understanding the difference between growth and fixed mindsets can help you reach success and overcome challenges. 

What is a Fixed Mindset?

A fixed mindset is the belief that talents, intelligence, and abilities are unchangeable. People with this mindset believe that they are born with a certain level of intelligence or skill, and that effort won’t significantly change these traits. As a result, they tend to avoid challenges, fear failure, and may give up easily when faced with difficulties.

Some characteristics of a fixed mindset include:

• Avoiding challenges to protect oneself
• Believing that effort is meaningless or unnecessary 
• Viewing failure as a reflection of inherent limitations 
• Being sensitive to criticism and feedback 

In a fixed mindset, individuals may say things like, “I’m just not good at math” or “I could never be a great leader.” This mindset can be limiting, preventing people from reaching their full potential or even from trying new things.

What is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset, on the other hand, is the belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through hard work, learning, and perseverance. People with a growth mindset embrace challenges, understand the value of effort, and view setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve.

Some characteristics of a growth mindset include:

• Embracing challenges as opportunities to grow
• Believing that effort leads to improvement
• Viewing failure as a step to success
• Welcoming feedback and using it to improve

Individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to say, “I may not understand this yet, but I am still learning” or “I can improve with practice.” This mindset fosters resilience, motivation, and a love of learning—traits that are crucial for personal and professional success.

Benefits of a Growth Mindset

1. Increased Resilience: A growth mindset allows individuals to bounce back from failures and setbacks. They see challenges as part of the learning process and don’t let mistakes define them.
2. Better Performance: Those who believe in their ability to grow tend to perform better academically, professionally, and even athletically. This is because they are more likely to invest effort and practice, leading to improvement over time.
3. Enhanced Creativity: When individuals are not afraid of failure, they are more willing to take risks and think outside the box. This cultivates innovation and creative problem-solving.
4. Improved Relationships: A growth mindset extends beyond academic or career success; it can improve how we relate to others. By seeing relationships as evolving, individuals are more open to communication, learning, and collaboration .

Developing a Growth Mindset

The good news is that with conscious effort, you can shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Here are some strategies to help:

1. Seek Challenges: Step out of your comfort zone and try things that challenge you. 
2. Reframe Failure: Instead of seeing failure as a reflection of your abilities, view it as feedback. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” or “What can I do differently next time?”
3. Acknowledge the Power of Yet: When facing difficulties, remind yourself, “I can’t do this yet.” The word “yet” reinforces the idea that abilities can develop over time.
4. Consider the People Around You: Surround yourself with individuals who encourage learning, experimentation, and perseverance. Their attitudes can help reinforce your own growth mindset.

Sources: 

https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset

https://www.verywellmind.com/growth-mindset-characteristics-benefits-8575613