Do you take charge of your own destiny or are you a “wait and see” type of person? This is the heart of the growth mindset vs fixed mindset debate. Your mindset is about how you think, live, grow, and succeed.
In this post, we'll uncover the distinct differences between these two mindsets. You'll learn which mindset you currently have, and how embracing a growth mindset with the aid of hypnosis can transform your approach to challenges and opportunities.
Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset – understanding the basics
In the field of personal development, two mindsets stand out: growth mindset and fixed mindset. A growth mindset thrives on challenge and sees failures not as evidence of unintelligence but as an opportunity for growth. It's characterized by an underlying belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort, motivation, and persistence.
On the other hand, a fixed mindset assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static entities that can't be changed in any meaningful way. Success is measured by how well our natural abilities meet a certain fixed standard.
Characteristics of a growth mindset:
- Embraces challenges: sees them as opportunities to learn rather than obstacles.
- Persistent: does not give up easily. Gets back up on the horse when confronted with failure.
- Effort: understands that hard work leads to higher achievement.
- Learn from criticism: uses feedback as a tool for improvement and growth.
- Inspired by others' success: views others' success as a learning opportunity, not a threat.
Characteristics of a fixed mindset:
- Avoids challenges: prefers staying in the comfort zone to avoid the risk of failure.
- Gives up easily: sees obstacles and setbacks as roadblocks that are impossible to overcome.
- Sees effort as failure: believes that if you have to work hard, you're not good enough.
- Ignores or rejects feedback: views criticism as a personal attack rather than constructive feedback.
- Threatened by others' success: feels jealous or diminished when others succeed.
Growth vs. fixed mindset in different life scenarios
Work environment:
- Growth mindset: views challenges at work as opportunities to evolve professionally. Embraces new projects and responsibilities, learns from mistakes, and is open to feedback.
- Fixed mindset: avoids new responsibilities, fearing failure. Sticks to what they know and feels threatened by colleagues' achievements.
Social settings:
- Growth mindset: engages in conversations, open to new ideas, and can adapt to different social settings. Sees socializing as a way to grow and learn.
- Fixed mindset: sticks to familiar faces and ideas. May feel awkward trying new social activities and has trouble connecting with people they don’t know.
Family life:
- Growth mindset: open to new parenting styles or family dynamics. Learns from family conflicts and works towards resolution.
- Fixed mindset: resistant to change in family roles or routines. Doesn’t try to resolve conflicts and instead sulks alone.
Academic pursuits:
- Growth mindset: loves challenging subjects, sees effort as a way to improve and learn new skills. Looks for constructive feedback from teachers.
- Fixed mindset: avoids subjects where they’re not naturally talented. Gets easily discouraged by poor grades or critiques.
Sports and physical activities:
- Growth mindset: views physical activity as a way to become a better version of themselves. Open to trying out new sports or fitness routines.
- Fixed mindset: avoids new physical challenges, sticks to what they’re good at, or avoids sports altogether because it’s hard.
