People with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence, skills and abilities are inborn and cannot change. Therefore, their fear of failure does not allow them to progress. Dweck and her team tested the brains of people with different mindsets. The brains of people which showed higher activities while learning their results were considered as having a fixed mindset. They showed no interest in learning their mistakes, so they didn’t believe they could improve them.
People with a growth mindset, however, appreciate challenges because they believe that they can learn from experience, improve with practice and develop their skills. According to Dweck you can develop your own skills, abilities and even intelligence through your training, experience and efforts. You may not become another Einstein, but a growth mindset will be helpful to realize your unique experience and opportunities.
If you have a fixed mindset and you would like to improve it, try to accept criticism and feedback as opportunities to grow, rather than the judgement of your competence. Be open to learning and remember that everybody makes mistakes!
