mindset

Mindset refers to a method of thinking or a habitual opinion or attitude. Mindset can also be referred to a group of assumptions held by one person or groups of different people. The abstract of growth mindset was brought about by a psychologist by the name Carol Dweck. A mindset according to her is a self-perception. An example of mindset is if you believe you are either bright or stupid.

There are two kinds of mindset according to Dweck. They are;

1. Fixed mindset.
2. Growth mindset.

These two groups can be used to group persons on the basis of their behavior mostly their reaction to failure.

The people with a fixed mindset tend to argue that abilities are mainly inborn and also argue that failure is the lack of certain abilities that are basic. Those with a growth mindset on the other side argue that any given ability can be acquired by anyone on the condition that effort is put. Dweck also indicates that people with a growth mindset are more likely to live a life without stress and a life full of success.

A person’s mindset plays a very crucial role in determining how they approach challenges like losing a job, becoming sick, failing in a test among others. People with a growth mindset will continue pressing hard despite any challenges.

Environmental factors have been found to influence the mindset of people. If someone gets used to hearing compliments like “ you look good today” or “ you are very bright” he/ she is most likely to adopt a fixed mindset. On the other side if someone is used to statements like “good results, you must have worked hard” he/ she is most likely to adopt a growth mindset. Dweck found out that changes in mindset can be achieved easily through acknowledging the process of achieving the success.

Studies on mindset show that there is a difference in the growth and fixed mindsets of boys and girls or male and females. In schools for instance some girls believe that they cannot do well in mathematics and other subject perceived to be boy’s subjects. This has however been explained to happen to only those girls with a fixed mindset.

One of the benefits of a growth mindset is that it promotes the prosperity of a person or at a collective level. This is explained by the fact that people with a growth mindset are able to identify their strengths and they tend to bring about valuable contributions to themselves and to others.

Other types of mindsets include:

1. Abundance and scarcity. People with abundance mindset have the perception that enough resources are present for everyone. People with scarcity mindset have the perception that one person gaining means another one losing since resources are limited.
2. Productive and defensive. People with productive mindset tend to search for valid knowledge that can be put to test. People with defensive mindset on the other side tend to be self-protective. People only search for information capable of protecting them.