Mindset: A Summary

Dr. Carol S. Dweck was challenged to write a book about the findings of their years-long research study by one of her students. Dr. Carol S. Dweck rose to the occasion and has written this book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, and How we can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential” in the hope that it will help the ordinary human being understand that life is what you make it and not what was dealt to you at birth. She used herself and her students as examples in her writing, as well as artists like Pablo Picasso, athletes like basketball player Michael Jordan and tennis player John McEnroe, great Russian dancer Marina Semyonova, and CEOs of various businesses, to name a few. She also used examples of everyday real people like herself and her students. In the third paragraph of her introduction she writes, “… you’ll learn how a simple belief about yourself… guides a large part of your life… It actually reaches every aspect of your life… ” As a result, she engages the reader and turns them into one of her relatable examples because they can identify with these characters.

In the first section of the book, Dr. Dweck describes the two types of mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset. She describes how she discovered that, with the right attitude, failure could be turned into a gift from ten-year-old children. The kids’ intellectual abilities were developed through effort and perseverance by being given challenging puzzles to solve. These children served as her role models as she sought to determine whether human qualities can be developed or if they are set in stone. Each person is born with a particular genetic endowment, but they complete their genetic endowment through experience, training, and personal effort.

Twenty years of research by Dr. Dweck has demonstrated that your self-perception has a significant impact on how you live your life. You have a fixed mindset, according to her, if you think that your qualities and traits are set in stone and unchangeable. You also have a growth mindset if you think that cherished characteristics and traits can be enhanced and nurtured.

People with fixed mindsets think that a person’s qualities, qualities, and traits are a fixed quantity that cannot be increased. They are smarter than those who are struggling in school if they are performing well in school. If they excel in sports, it means they were born with talent. To demonstrate that they were given a healthy dose and are not lacking, they take the time to demonstrate that they are better at the qualities given to them. People with fixed mindsets always attribute the failure of an endeavor to something else.

People who have a growth mindset always strive to improve. They don’t just stand back and consider what they’ve accomplished to be the end result. They believe there is always room for advancement. They don’t have time to sit around and think of themselves as superior to others or the best. They don’t have time to ponder their unique talents. They are preoccupied with ideas for improvement and potential course corrections in the event that something did not turn out as expected. For them, if something doesn’t go according to plan, it’s just a challenge to figure out how to make it work.

In the second part of the book, Dr. Dweck walks us through the research she conducted on fixed and growth mindsets from the perspectives of various people. demonstrating how these two ways of thinking affect people’s daily success or failure. John McEnroe’s tennis fixed mindset is used as an example of an individual athlete. He was a fantastic athlete who put more emphasis on natural ability than on hard work and preparation. He put the blame for his failure to win elsewhere. similar to the time he ascribed the system’s distaste for the game. He refused to acknowledge fault. While Michael Jordan has a growth mindset. The author uses Couch John Wooden as an example of a team sports player who was tactically and strategically average but went on to win ten national championships. If he missed a goal, he would practice for several hours to figure out why he missed it. Coach Wooden, who has a growth mindset, claims to be skilled at assisting players in filling team roles. The players’ feelings were important to him. a rigid mentality like Coach Bobby Knight’s, who chose players based on talent. He was a fantastic coach, but he won by taking a dictatorial stance. Short-lived victories weakened people’s moral fiber.

The CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, is used by the author as an example of a fixed mindset in corporate settings who was able to humble himself and adopt a growth mindset. As he did so, the company also grew. You need to get rid of Lee Iacocca before he wrecks the company because of his fixed mindset, which is good for quickly raising the company to the top. Lee Iacocca was upset when Ford Motor Company actually did that. Fixed mindset leaders prioritize their ego over the interests of the business and are more focused on being heroes. The author uses Enron as an example of a company that failed because of high-caliber, intelligent individuals with a fixed mindset. Enron paid the highest price to close the business while employing intelligent, talented individuals. A prime example of groupthink is Enron, where executives made disastrous choices as a result of being overconfident in their knowledge and abilities.

These two perspectives in love have the power to make or break a union. Dr. Dweck discovered through her research that people with fixed mindsets view rejection during a breakup as a judgment and a label. They also decided to exact revenge on the individual who injured them. Growth-oriented people make the decision to forget, take lessons from it, and move on. The author uses Hilary Clinton as an example, who forgave her husband and took the necessary steps to end their marriage. Developing the emotional capabilities required to maintain a relationship takes time and effort.

Dr. Dweck concludes this third section by discussing how parents, teachers, and coaches’ mindsets affect the kids in their charge. According to her research, children adopt a fixed mindset when they hear their caregivers offer support and encouragement. They are doomed to fail because of this. For example, “… How quickly did you pick that up? You are so smart… ” is interpreted as “… I’m not smart if I can’t pick up a new skill quickly… ” She explains that rather than praising children for their intelligence or talent, parents, teachers, and coaches should instead recognize their hard work. She continues by saying that regardless of the kids’ starting abilities, parents, teachers, and coaches need to give them equal time and attention. In turn, the kids will give their all and flourish. The author points out, “… We are entrusted with people’s lives as parents, educators, and coaches. They are our duty and our inheritance… “

In the book’s fourth chapter, Dr. Dweck starts what she finds to be the most fulfilling aspect of her work: observing people transform. People don’t consciously or consciously know what they believe. Psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Beck discovered that he could instruct people on how to deal with and alter these beliefs. And thus was born cognitive therapy, one of the most successful treatments ever created. Dr. Dweck used workshops to examine how people with fixed mindsets processed information. She observed that they gave each piece of information a thorough evaluation. A very strong positive label was applied to something positive, and a very strong negative label was applied to something negative. Even though those who have a growth mindset are always keeping an eye on what’s happening do not judge themselves or others internally. They are perceptive to both good and bad information, but they are also aware of its implications for understanding and positive action. Additionally, Dr. Dweck held workshops for students. To deliver the material at the workshops, a sizable staff is needed. The workshop materials were then loaded onto interactive computer modules. It is referred to as Braintology by the teachers who lead their classes through the modules. These mindset workshops give students control over their brains.

It is interesting to observe how a basic trait like a mindset influences judgment across a broad spectrum of the population. a kindergartener, the CEO of a billion dollar business, a surgeon at work in a hospital, a sportsman practicing and playing on the court, a chef at a posh hotel, a group of dancers, and a sports team. College students who have a fixed mindset miss classes or quit their studies. Having a growth mindset can help you learn how to control your emotions and deal with racial and gender stereotypes. It really is fascinating.