Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential

Many parents also saw the implications of these ideas, especially on how they might change the way they talked to their kids.

And anyone who's opened a self-help book in the last decade will likely have encountered something about the growth mindset and how we should all embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and relish every chance we get to develop ourselves. That was Carol Dweck's core idea – and it's now a psychology staple.

This incarnation of "Mindset" will undoubtedly spread her ideas more widely still. But even for those who've read her work before, it's a valuable opportunity to revisit a classic text.

And it's a chance for all of us to be reminded of what this seminal book does – and doesn't – say about achievement and success. Because, as the author herself explains in the new Introduction, several myths and misunderstandings have arisen since that first edition. And she wants this latest version to set the record straight.

So, keep listening to find out the real differences between fixed and growth mindsets; how to change your personal beliefs for the better; and ways to shift others into the right mindset for success.

In the Introduction, Dweck takes us right back to the start: to the day when her students sat her down and told her that she had to write this book. It's quite unusual for a psychology text to focus so squarely on its author. But this is, unashamedly, a personal story – about how Dweck changed her mindset. In fact, some of the most enlightening examples in it are about what she learned about herself in the process.

That said, Carol Dweck is also a highly qualified academic. A Stanford University psychologist, she's renowned for her research into achievement and success. At every stage she's keen to refer to the science, outlining strong evidence to back up her ideas. But it's noticeable how often she refers to experiments as "wonderful" or "fascinating." She seems to love finding evidence for theories she believes can help us all.

So, it's not surprising that Chapter One begins with a "Eureka!" moment from Dweck's own life.

She'd always thought that people could be split into two camps: those who coped with failure, and those who struggled with it. But one day, the young researcher was talking to children about their learning, and she realized that there was a third group: those who loved failing!

OK, maybe they didn't put it quite like that themselves. But they sought out work that they couldn't do, loved the feeling of being challenged, and saw mistakes and setbacks as opportunities. As soon as they could do something, they were off in pursuit of something else to fail at. So they could keep on learning.

Not all children are like that, of course. But Dweck found plenty who were. They made her want to find out how to capitalize on this characteristic, and to discover ways for everyone to develop it.

She uses this experience to frame her mindset theory. In a nutshell, it's about whether or not you believe that human potential is fixed.

If you tend to think that your innate talent, genes and environment determine your chances of success, you're using a fixed mindset. You define yourself by what you can do now, rather than what you might be able to do if you stepped out of your comfort zone.

But if you think that the biggest factor in your achievement is what you do next, then you're showing a growth mindset. Like the children who opened up Carol Dweck's eyes, you'll feel most uncomfortable when you're not putting yourself to the test!

So, which camp are you in? This first chapter ends with a set of questions to determine whether you lean more toward a fixed mindset, or a growth one. It's a quick and simple quiz because, as the author sees it, the difference between the two mindsets is easy to spot.

And, by stripping mindset of any associations with work ethic, positivity or self-esteem, she allows us to make an honest evaluation of the beliefs we hold. Then, if we want to, we can start to change them.

That process starts properly in Chapter Two, which takes us "inside the mindsets." For many people, Dweck says, the key belief to grapple with is about what hard work represents. Does it show inability and weakness? If you were truly gifted, you wouldn't need to work hard. Or, does it indicate the ability to improve, and deep-rooted strength?

And these beliefs aren't just held by individuals. They can influence the way entire organizations operate.

Take Chrysler, for example. There was a time when the company kept bringing out new versions of the same car, rather than risking original designs. Meanwhile, Japanese firms were taking a much more growth-minded approach. They experimented, made mistakes, sought feedback, and brought new types of cars to market. This gave them a serious competitive edge.

There are plenty of other, "big name" examples like this throughout the book. But the author also has a knack of bringing the focus back to us, her readers, and getting us to be honest about our own approach.

Which car company would we prefer to work for? What were we like in school? When do we feel smart? When we're trying hard to get things right or, when we're trying harder things?

But whatever we're like now, a core message of this book is that we all have choices. And yes, that includes the choice to keep the mindset you already have, if it's working for you.

But if it's not, you can use the reflective questions and exercises at the end of each chapter to start shifting your beliefs, and put some new habits into practice. There's nothing revolutionary in these "Grow Your Mindset" sections – just reminders about each chapter's key points, questions to explore for yourself, and advice for approaching situations in new ways.

Chapter Three homes in on one crucial element of mindset – the way we view ability and achievement. Believing that people are "born great" is a fixed-mindset view. Dweck explodes this myth by showing us how Edison, Darwin, Mozart, and others had to become great, through hard work, experimentation – and failure – throughout their careers.

Talent, temperament and the times we live in only affect us so much. Our beliefs, and how they make us approach our goals, are much more influential.

The next chapters focus on areas where those beliefs hold particular sway.

First, sport. Runner Wilma Rudolph didn't believe her potential was fixed by her difficult early life or the serious illness she suffered. She overcame all the setbacks she faced to win three Olympic gold medals.

John McEnroe, on the other hand, is a self-confessed "fixed mindsetter" – and it shows. Despite enormous talent, the tennis star was easily distracted when he felt things were out of his control. He blamed others when he made mistakes. He avoided matches that he thought he'd lose. He had great success. But how much more might he have achieved if his beliefs had been different?

Next, we delve into the world of business. We're introduced to a group of leaders who seem to crave approval and personal success, all too often at the expense of their organizations. People such as Lee Iacocca at Chrysler, or Albert Dunlap at Sunbeam, who represent for Dweck the fixed-mindset traits of ego, elitism, and the drive for short-term validation.

In contrast, we can learn a lot from Jack Welch and Anne Mulcahy, the former bosses of General Electric and Xerox respectively. Their growth mindsets helped them to manage their egos, dismantle elite networks, reward teamwork rather than individual genius, and push for long-term development – even if it meant admitting to shortcomings and suffering in the short term. Above all, they changed themselves throughout their careers.

And the more leaders like these can gather others behind their growth-mindset approach, the more it pays off. Evidence shows that companies where growth mindsets prevail score higher for commitment, empowerment, ownership, and trust.

The idea of an "organizational mindset" was there in the original book, but it's explored in greater depth here. There's a useful set of questions to ask about the places where we work. It's a great way to understand the beliefs that our own companies embody. And how, even as individuals, we can help to shift our organizations toward growth.

But there's work to be done at home, too. In personal relationships, Dweck tells us, we can't rely on people being the "finished article." Couples should expect to work at their partnerships. In fact, that's where the fun and excitement lies! Keep talking, help one another to grow and learn from your mistakes along the way.

And if you're in a parenting role, do what it takes to create growth-minded kids. Praising effort rather than achievement was always one of Dweck's key messages, to push young people, in particular, away from a fragile, fixed view of success.

It's still OK to celebrate achievements – the "icing on the cake" of hard work. We won't encourage growth mindsets if we just say, "Well done for trying." And we'll do more harm than good if we use effort as an excuse for not doing any learning.

In a new section of this edition, called "False Growth Mindset," Dweck turns to some of the other, potentially harmful myths that have emerged since "Mindset" was first published.

Number one, a growth mindset doesn't just mean having a generally open, flexible attitude to life. Instead, it's a specific commitment to improvement – and it needs to bring results.

Two, only praise real effort. You'll move people away from a growth mindset if you reduce their desire to try hard.

And three, never tell someone that a growth mindset will enable them to "do anything." You're just setting them up for disappointment and a lapse into fixed-mindset thinking.

But after giving this updated advice about what not to do, Dweck quickly returns to her positive approach, revealing what will encourage a growth mindset in others. To begin with, have one yourself! And show it to those around you – in the way you talk about your learning, handle setbacks, and throw yourself into new challenges.

Remember, though, that you have to "grow into" your growth mindset.

Start by recognizing that everyone has a fixed mindset at times.

Then, learn your own fixed mindset "triggers." Maybe when you underperform in a test, or feel criticized by a colleague.

Next, give your fixed mindset a name, like some people name their cars! This will help you talk about that part of you, and recognize when it appears – but also distance yourself from it when necessary.

Finally, educate your fixed mindset by continually testing your limits, facing up to failures, and looking for useful lessons to learn. Bit by bit it will become less fixed. You'll soon see the benefits, Dweck says, and come to know that this is what real success feels like.

So, what's our verdict on the book overall? At a time of global challenge, it feels more relevant than ever. The author's warm, down-to-earth style is refreshing and reassuring, and we take confidence from the wealth of research evidence she refers to throughout.

Perhaps the 21 pages of references are more than the average reader will need. But they do point to the academic foundations of Dweck's ideas, and don't intrude on the main body of the book.

Some returning readers may feel they don't get much extra material in this new edition. But the two added sections – on organizational mindsets and the "false growth mindset" myths – are precise and purposeful. And, like the new Introduction, they spotlight Dweck's current concerns about how her theories are being put into practice – not always appropriately.

For all her passion for this project, she remains admirably realistic. We're all a mixture of mindsets, she concludes. Our approach at any moment is affected by many different things, not all of which are in our control.

And her core message is as clear and confident as ever. Everything we do – and everything we feel about what we do – comes back to our beliefs. All her experiments, observations, and personal experiences still convince her that, if those beliefs aren't working, we can change them.

In the chapter on education, there's a quote from a student in praise of her teacher. In many ways, it sums up what Carol Dweck herself manages to do in this practical, powerful book: "put people in the frame of mind where they can do their best."

"Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential," by Dr Carol S. Dweck, is published by Robinson Books.

That's the end of this episode of Mind Tools Book Insights, from Emerald Works. Thanks for listening.