Will I love Mindset?

I love this book because it is all about how we show up each day and how we engage the world.

I am particularly keen on the idea that we can choose to be open to learning new things, meeting new people, and making a difference…in other words, we can choose to “grow” …or we can choose to stand still.

And I hope that I will never stop wanting to know more, read more, learn, and try to make a difference.

I learned about mental models (our beliefs and assumptions) decades ago, and it changed my life since I had never really examined how my mental models informed absolutely everything I did. I subsequently had the great fortune to come across Carol Dweck’s work while I was still teaching at the Stanford Business School, and learning about growth and fixed mindsets was a further game changer.

I especially appreciated coming to understand how mindsets impact relationships. For example, a growth mindset views relationships as something to work at and people as capable of changing, while a fixed mindset views relationships as… show more.

I loved this book so much that I cited Dweck and the growth mindset in Pause because every human needs to know about this mind-blowing concept. As a coach, I help my clients understand that a growth mindset is critical to doing anything differently. To be more confident, you have to show up differently. 

This book helped me get off auto-pilot mode or thinking things can’t be done. I learned that I had a lot of fixed mindset, which put a limit on everything I did! Because of this book, I now challenge my assumptions, get curious about what I… show more.

I loved reading about the importance of a growth mindset by the person who pioneered the concept. She explains why it’s so important for parents to praise children for their effort, not their success. She shows that praising children for their intelligence or talent harms their motivation and prevents them from succeeding.

I also love that she shows how important it is for children not to be afraid to fail and to keep trying because, with enough effort, they will succeed. I think these are among the most important concepts in raising creative, entrepreneurial, and risk-taking children.

This book both confirmed and encouraged the best mindset to optimize growth. It’s about learning to create a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset. Studies have shown that it’s a better way to be successful and happy in life.

“Qualities can be nurtured; our potential is unknown, and failure does not define you. Deal with it, learn, and praise the process."

The main keys are that it’s all about learning, learning, learning…no matter what happens to you. “Yet” is a key word, and hard work is required to succeed. Setbacks are opportunities for growth.

This book is the one I’ve recommended the most to friends, family, and clients. In fact, I had a sales team I was coaching read it as an exercise, and it completely transformed their way of working!

I live for distinctions, and Dweck’s distinction between growth mindset and fixed mindset is so simple, so obvious, and yet so profound it transformed the way I endeavor to take risks, show up in life, be in relationships, and parent my children. I thought I understood what these mindsets were just by the names of them, but the subtleties and the nuance blew… show more.

My perspective totally changed as a parent and teacher after reading, Mindset I thought I knew what a growth mindset was all about, but Dweck’s insightful research quickly changed my mind. A growth mindset is more than a “I can” mantra, or learning from mistakes, or persevering through challenges.

Dweck’s research explains how the brain is like a muscle that grows smarter due to its neuroplasticity. I became more intrigued when Dweck showed to school-aged students various brain scans of different brain regions “lighting up” during learning. After I read about Jimmy, I was hooked.

Knowing that our brains make… show more.

There’s a Henry Ford quote my mom used to always tell me growing up—which at the time, irritated me to no end, but now I realize it’s wisdom:  

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” 

This book shows that this is far more than a pithy quote, through in-depth research on the impact of having what is called a “growth mindset” where you actively lean into tackling new challenges and securing opportunities that might initially feel beyond your reach, with understanding that you will learn, evolve and grow to meet the occasion.

I am now… show more.

Carol Dweck's research helps explain why some people are more willing to explore curiosity based on the impact interaction with others has had on them.

I loved this book because she reveals what parents, teachers, and others inadvertently say or do, that impacts whether we have an open/growth or closed/fixed mindset. When writing my Curiosity Code Index assessment, Dweck's book helped to determine some of the factors associated with the things that inhibit curiosity.

This book will change the way you interact with those around you because it will make you cognizant of the power of how we word things… show more.

If you want to be more creative, then you must get this book!

Dweck’s thesis is that we tend to approach challenges with one of two mindsets - “fixed” or “growth.” Too many people, according to Dweck, approach creative challenges with a mindset that quashes their creative spirit and jeopardizes their personal or professional success.

But the good news is that with a few alterations in our everyday thinking, we can alter our mindset and allow our natural creative spirit to flourish. Whether we are parents, CEOs, teachers, plumbers, computer technicians, or athletes we can re-energize our innate creativity to… show more.