Continuing from an earlier post on THE PARAMETERS OF THE LEARNING ECONOMY: LEARNING AND SKILLING, Dilip Mukerjea writes in his new book, Learning How to Learn (not yet released; still in the works; this is a sneak preview!):

DWECK’S MASTERPIECE: 

The Growth Mindset 

It takes an incredible amount of talent and hard work to become the greatest at anything. A growth mindset is ‘the understanding that abilities and understanding can be developed’. Those with a growth mindset believe that they can get smarter, more intelligent, and more talented through putting in time and effort. 

On the flipside, a fixed mindset is one that assumes abilities and understanding are relatively fixed.

Those with a fixed mindset may not believe that intelligence can be enhanced, or that you either “have it or you don’t” when it comes to abilities and talents. 

The main difference between the two mindsets is the belief in the permanence of intelligence and ability; one views it as very permanent, with little to no room for change in either direction, while the other views it as more changeable, with opportunities for improvement (or, for that matter, regression). 

This difference in mindset may lead to marked differences in behaviour as well. If someone believes intelligence and abilities are immutable traits, they are not likely to put in much effort to change their inherent intelligence and abilities. 

On the other hand, those who believe they can change these traits may be much more willing to put in extra time and effort to achieve more ambitious goals. 

With a growth mindset, individuals may achieve more than others because they are worrying less about seeming smart or talented and putting more of their energy into learning (Dweck, 2016). 

While the benefits of cultivating a growth mindset are clearly desirable, the founder of the growth mindset theory is quick to point out that it is not just about telling yourself (or others) that you can improve; Carol Dweck points out three common misconceptions she has encountered: “I already have it, and I always have.” 

Dweck warns that a growth mindset is not simply being open-minded or optimistic or practising flexible thinking; it is more specific than that. “A growth mindset is just about praising and rewarding effort.” 

Although praising and rewarding effort is generally a good idea, it must be undertaken with an eye on outcomes as well. 

Effort that is unproductive is not to be rewarded, and learning and progress should also be met with praise. “Just espouse a growth mindset, and good things will happen.” 

Espousing a growth mindset is a positive step that can lead to positive outcomes, but it is not a guarantee; the mindset needs to be backed up with effort applied to worthwhile activities, and even then success is not inevitable (Dweck, 2016).