Fixed vs. Growth Mindset: What is the difference, and why is it essential when it comes to changing yourself

According to research cited in the book, Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck, Ph.D., there are two types of mindsets. Fixed and Growth. The fixed mindset comes from the school of thought that you are born with a certain amount of potential, and once you reach the maximum of that potential, that’s as far as you go. The growth mindset comes from the school of thought that your essential qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts, strategies, and help from others. As you can imagine, the growth mindset is more flexible by nature, and developing it is more conducive to changing yourself. With a fixed mindset, there is no flexibility, hence the name “Fixed,” meaning that beliefs and notions are rooted deeply into the identity, causing one to stick to a way of being. 

*The characteristics of a person with a fixed mindset:

• Believe intelligence and talent are static

• Avoid challenges to avoid failure

• Ignore feedback from others

• Feel threatened by the success of others

• Hide flaws so as not to be judged by others

• Believe putting in the effort is worthless

• View feedback as personal criticism

• Give up easily

When you operate from a fixed mindset, you do not give yourself room to adapt and grow. We are designed to adapt to our environment and have been since the dawn of humankind. Biomechanically, we crawl and find our way to standing, walking, and so on. If you have children past the infancy stages or in school now, you have witnessed this progression in some way or another. Even our minds needed to adapt to this new way of traversing the world. So clearly, the fixed mindset is something that is developed over time based on the messages that one takes in and harbors as an absolute. Based on the characteristics mentioned previously, one who fits this description takes an active role in stopping their growth process and may in turn stagnate their potential for joy and happiness in their lives. This could transition into others if they have children, as they are highly impressionable creatures that rely on those around them to show them how to navigate this new terrain outside of the womb. In my opinion, this leads to all sorts of problems with people especially in the health and wellness space because of the preconceived notions and theories that surround fitness, exercise, and nutrition. Cross the fixed mindset with the power of habit and you have a recipe for an unsatisfactory life riddled with regrets and resentment and a ton of negativity that serves no one.

*The characteristics of a person with a growth mindset:

• Embrace lifelong learning

• Believe intelligence can be improved

• Put in more effort to learn

• Believe effort leads to mastery

• Believe failures are just temporary setbacks

• View feedback as a source of information

• Willingly embraces challenges

• View others’ success as a source of inspiration

• View feedback as an opportunity to learn

When you operate from a growth mindset, you embrace the natural course of life. Change is constant, necessary, and a choice all at once. The growth mindset harbors curiosity which in turn opens one up for learning and taking in information. So if we go back to the transition of a child crawling to walking, this is a natural process that represents growth. This has to happen for us to exist as we are today. There is something to be said about having a child-like disposition to things. There is wonder and excitement and the desire to know more about those things that inspire wonder and excitement. It opens the doors to learning and harboring all the characteristics that a growth mindset entails. The term neuroplasticity implies that the brain and central nervous system are pliable and can be shaped and influenced through practice and repeated actions/messages. I believe that with this information there is hope to grow in several areas. Now, when you add the growth mindset into the health and wellness space, the possibilities increase exponentially. By consistently challenging the mind, body, and spirit, you force change and adaptability in your life as a whole. The issues that show up may be difficult, but through the daily practice of perseverance, you make it a habit of embracing challenges. You look at failures as a part of the process vs an end all be all. And if this is the culture that children are cultivated in, then this may be the way they operate going forward in life. 

The fixed and growth mindsets in the end are choices. They are belief systems with a lot of scientific backing but most simply put, one can choose which way they would like to go. Which mindset one chooses directly affects how one will change and deal with change. There are plenty of analogies and philosophies on how staying stagnant will lead to a painful decaying of sorts. However, when you become an active participant in the change process, you find more than ever before. There is a wisdom to life and change that when we discover it for ourselves can be truly fulfilling. We open ourselves up to a larger world and we don’t waste time on insignificant and limited thoughts and beliefs. This is a freedom that we all can appreciate and if you happen to fall into a fixed mindset, the possibility to change is there for you as well. What I gathered from Carol Dweck’s work is that we don’t have to accept what we’ve always “known” to be true as law. We owe it to ourselves to question all things, make a choice and stand in it. And you know what? If it no longer serves you, then yes, you can change it.

For a more detailed view on mindset, check out: Mindset by Carol Dweck Ph.D

Also, check out this little quiz to see where you land in your mindset! Feel free to share your results with us!   Take the mindset quiz

*Reference: Book- Mindset By Dr. Carol Dweck Ph.D