Excerpts selected by World Enlightainment

from:
Chapters 1 & 2 of
Mindset: The Ne !sychology of "#ccess$
by
Carol %ec&
Random House Publishing, NY, 2006
The indented material belo is all direct '#otes from %ec& (except those ords contained in
brac&ets)*
+or tenty years, my research has shon that the view you adopt for yourself
profo#ndly affects the ay yo# lead yo#r life* -t can determine hether yo#
become the person yo# ant to be and hether yo# accomplish the things yo#
.al#e* (p* /)
Two Mindsets: Fixed or Growth
0ne day my doctoral st#dent, Mary 1and#ra, and - ere trying to #nderstand hy some
st#dents ere so ca#ght #p in pro.ing their ability, hile others co#ld 2#st let go and
learn* "#ddenly e reali3ed that there ere two meanings to ability, not one: a fixed
ability that needs to be pro.en, and a changeable ability that can be de.eloped thro#gh
learning* (p* 14)
1elie.ing that yo#r '#alities are car.ed in stone5the fixed mindset5creates an
#rgency to pro.e yo#rself o.er and o.er* -f yo# ha.e only a certain amo#nt of
intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character5ell, then yo#6d better
pro.e that yo# ha.e a healthy dose of them* (p* /)
-6.e seen so many people ith this one cons#ming goal of pro.ing themsel.es5in the
classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships* E.ery sit#ation calls for a
confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character* E.ery sit#ation is e.al#ated:
Will I succeed or fail Will I loo! smart or dumb Will I be accepted or re"ected
Will I feel li!e a winner or a loser
There is another mindset 7a groth mindset8 in hich these traits are not simply a hand
yo#6re dealt and ha.e to li.e ith, alays trying to con.ince yo#rself and others that
yo# ha.e a royal fl#sh hen yo#6re secretly orried it6s a pair of tens* -n this mindset,
the hand yo#6re dealt is 2#st the starting point for de.elopment* This growth mindset is
based on the belief that yo#r basic '#alities are things yo# can c#lti.ate thro#gh yo#r
efforts* 9ltho#gh people may differ in e.ery hich can change and gro thro#gh
application and experience* (p* :)
When yo# enter a mindset, yo# enter a ne orld* -n one orld5the orld of fixed
traits5s#ccess is abo#t pro.ing yo#6re smart or talented* ;alidating yo#rself* -n the
other5the orld of changing '#alities5it6s abo#t stretching yo#rself to learn
something ne* %e.eloping yo#rself*
-n one orld, fail#re is abo#t ha.ing a setbac&* <etting a bad grade* =osing a
to#rnament* <etting fired* <etting re2ected* -t means yo#6re not smart or talented* -n the
other orld, fail#re is abo#t not groing* Not reaching for the things yo# .al#e* -t
means yo#6re not f#lfilling yo#r potential* (pp* 14>1/)
While theoretically the difference beteen a groth mindset and a fixed mindset may
ma&e sense to yo# and it may e.en seem ob.io#s that ha.ing a groth mindset is a
good idea, &noing the difference beteen the to orientations is not the point of
assigning this pre>co#rse reading* -n fact, e.en those people ith a fixed mindset o#ld
li&ely say they .al#e learning* The point is if yo# ha.e created a fixed mindset, the
mindset itself constrains and shapes the ay yo# see the orld, others and yo#rself and
conse'#ently yo#r actions, and it does so a#tomatically itho#t yo# conscio#sly being
aare of ha.ing that mindset* -n effect, that mindset #ses yo#* ? mindsets change hat
people stri.e for and hat they see as s#ccess* ... theychange the definition,
significance, and impact of fail#re* ? they change the deepest meaning of effort* @o#6ll
see ho these mindsets play o#t in school, in sports, in the or&place, and in
relationships* (p* 12)
Risk & Effort
? people6s ideas abo#t ris& and effort gro o#t of their more basic mindset* ? 7-n a
fixed mindset8 ris& and effort are to things that might re.eal yo#r inade'#acies and
sho that yo# ere not #p to the tas&* -n fact, it6s startling to see the degree to hich
people ith the fixed mindset do not belie.e in effort* (p* 1A)
Thin& abo#t someone yo# &no ho is steeped in the fixed mindset* Thin& abo#t ho
they6re alays trying to pro.e themsel.es and ho they6re s#persensiti.e abo#t being
rong or ma&ing mista&es* (p* 12)
-n one orld 7a fixed mindset8, effort is a bad thing* -t, li&e fail#re, means yo#6re not
smart or talented* -f yo# ere, yo# o#ldn6t need effort* -n the other orld 7a groth
mindset8, effort is hat ma!es yo# smart or talented* (p* 1/)
What Is Success
9s soon as children become able to e.al#ate themsel.es, some of them become afraid of
challenges* They become afraid of not being smart* - ha.e st#died tho#sands of people
from preschoolers on, and it6s breathta&ing ho many re2ect an opport#nity to learn*
We offered fo#r>year>olds a choice: They co#ld redo an easy 2igsa p#33le or they
co#ld try a harder one* E.en at this tender age, children ith the fixed mindset5the
ones ho belie.ed in fixed traits5st#c& ith the safe one* Bids ho are born smart
Cdon6t do mista&es,6 they told #s*
Children ith the groth mindset5the ones ho belie.ed yo# co#ld get smarter5
tho#ght it as a strange choice* Why are you as!ing me this lady Why would
anyone want to !eep doing the same pu##le over and over They chose one hard
one after another* (pp* 1/>1:)
"o children ith the fixed mindset ant to ma&e s#re they s#cceed* "mart people
sho#ld alays s#cceed* 1#t for children ith the groth mindset, s#ccess is abo#t
stretching themsel.es* -t6s abo#t becoming smarter* (p* 1:)
-t6s one thing to pass #p a p#33le* -t6s another to pass #p an opport#nity that6s important
to yo#r f#t#re* To see if this o#ld happen, e too& ad.antage of an #n#s#al sit#ation*
9t the Dni.ersity of Eong Bong, e.erything is in English* Classes are in English,
textboo&s are in English, and exams are in English* 1#t some st#dents ho enter the
#ni.ersity are not fl#ent in English, so it o#ld ma&e sense for them to do something
abo#t it in a h#rry*
9s st#dents arri.ed to register for their freshman year, e &ne hich ones ere not
s&illed in English* 9nd e as&ed them a &ey '#estion: -f the fac#lty offered a co#rse for
st#dents ho need to impro.e their English s&ills, o#ld yo# ta&e itF
? "t#dents ith the groth mindset said an emphatic yes* 1#t those ith the fixed
mindset ere not .ery interested*
1elie.ing that s#ccess is abo#t learning, st#dents ith the groth mindset sei3ed the
chance* 1#t those ith the fixed mindset didn6t ant to expose their deficiencies*
-nstead, to feel smart in the short r#n, they ere illing to p#t their college career at
ris&*
This is ho the fixed mindset ma&es people into nonlearners* (pp* 1:>1G)
Brain Waves Tell The Stor
@o# can e.en see the difference in people6s brain a.es* !eople ith both mindsets
came into o#r brain>a.e lab at Col#mbia* 9s they ansered hard '#estions and got
feedbac&, e ere c#rio#s abo#t hen their brain a.es o#ld sho them to be
interested and attenti.e*
!eople ith a fixed mindset ere only interested hen the feedbac& reflected on their
ability* Their brain a.es shoed them paying close attention hen they ere told
hether their ansers ere right or rong*
1#t hen they ere presented ith information that co#ld help them learn, there as no
sign of interest* E.en hen they6d gotten an anser rong, they ere not interested in
learning hat the right anser as*
0nly people ith a groth mindset paid close attention to information that co#ld stretch
their &noledge* 0nly for them as learning a priority* (p* 1G)
!E" #isease$ %n Exa&'le
"pea&ing of reigning from atop a pedestal and anting to be seen as perfect, yo# on6t
be s#rprised that this is often called CE0 disease*$ =ee -acocca had a bad case of it*
9fter his initial s#ccess as head of Chrysler Motors, -acocca loo&ed remar&ably li&e o#r
fo#r>year>olds ith the fixed mindset* Ee &ept bringing o#t the same car models o.er
and o.er ith only s#perficial changes* Dnfort#nately, they ere models no one anted
anymore*
Meanhile, Hapanese companies ere completely rethin&ing hat cars o#ld loo& li&e
and ho they sho#ld r#n* We &no ho this t#rned o#t* The Hapanese cars rapidly
sept the mar&et*
CE0s face this choice all the time* "ho#ld they confront their shortcomings or sho#ld
they create a orld here they ha.e noneF =ee -acocca chose the latter* Ee s#rro#nded
himself ith orshipers, exiled the critics5and '#ic&ly lost to#ch ith here his field
as going* =ee -acocca had become a nonlearner*
1#t not e.eryone catches CE0 disease* Many great leaders confront their shortcomings
on a reg#lar basis* %arin "mith, loo&ing bac& on his extraordinary performance at
Bimberly>Clar&, declared, C- ne.er stopped trying to be '#alified for the 2ob*6 These
men, li&e the Eong Bong st#dents ith the groth mindset, ne.er stopped ta&ing the
remedial co#rse*
CE0s face another dilemma* They can choose short>term strategies that boost the
company6s stoc& and ma&e themsel.es loo& li&e heroes* 0r they can or& for longterm
impro.ement5ris&ing Wall "treet6s disappro.al as they lay the fo#ndation for the
health and groth of the company o.er the longer ha#l*
9lbert %#nlap, a self>professed fixed mindsetter, as bro#ght in to t#rn aro#nd
"#nbeam* Ee chose the short>term strategy of loo&ing li&e a hero to Wall "treet* The
stoc& soared b#t the company fell apart*
=o# <erstner, an a.oed groth mindsetter, as called in to t#rn aro#nd -1M c#lt#re
and policies, stoc& prices ere stagnant and Wall "treet sneered* They called him a
fail#re* 9 fe years later, hoe.er, -1M as leading its field again* (pp* 2A>21)
Thrivin( and Feelin( S&art
Clearly, people ith the groth mindset thri.e hen they6re stretching themsel.es*
When do people ith a fixed mindset thri.eF When things are safely ithin their grasp*
-f things get too challenging5hen they6re not feeling smart or talented5they lose
interest* (pp* 22)
? in the fixed mindset it6s not eno#gh 2#st to s#cceed* -t6s not eno#gh 2#st to loo& smart
and talented* @o# ha.e to be pretty m#ch flaless* 9nd yo# ha.e to be flaless right
aay*
We as&ed people, ranging from grade schoolers to yo#ng ad#lts, Chen do yo# feel
smartF6 The differences ere stri&ing* !eople ith the fixed mindset said:
-t6s hen - don6t ma&e any mista&es*$
When - finish something fast and it6s perfect*$
When something is easy for me, b#t other people can6t do it*$ (p* 2I)
1#t people ith the groth mindset said:
When it6s really hard, and - try really hard, and - can do something - co#ldn6t do
before*$ 0r, 7When8 - or& on something a long time and - start to fig#re it o#t*$
? 7in the groth mindset8 it6s not abo#t immediate perfection* -t6s abo#t learning
something o.er time: confronting a challenge and ma&ing progress* (p* 2I)
)rovin( *ou+re S'ecial
When people ith the fixed mindset opt for s#ccess o.er groth, hat are they really
trying to pro.eF That they6re special* E.en s#perior*
When e as&ed them, CWhen do yo# feel smartF6 so many of them tal&ed abo#t times
they felt li&e a special person, someone ho as different from and better than other
people*
Dntil - disco.ered the mindsets and ho they or&, -, too, tho#ght of myself as more
talented than others, maybe e.en more orthy than others beca#se of my endoments*
The scariest tho#ght, hich - rarely entertained, as the possibility of being ordinary*
This &ind of thin&ing led me to need constant .alidation* E.ery comment, e.ery loo&
as meaningf#l5it registered on my intelligence scorecard, my attracti.eness
scorecard, my li&ability scorecard* -f a day ent ell, - co#ld bas& in my high n#mbers*
(pp* 2J>KA)
The problem is hen special begins to mean better than others. 9 more .al#able
h#man being* 9 s#perior person* 9n entitled person* (p* K1)
? people ho belie.e in fixed traits feel an #rgency to s#cceed, and hen they do, they
may feel more than pride* They may feel a sense of s#periority, since s#ccess means that
their fixed traits are better than other people6s*
Eoe.er, l#r&ing behind that self>esteem of the fixed mindset is a simple '#estion:
-f yo#6re somebody hen yo#6re s#ccessf#l, hat are yo# hen yo#6re
#ns#ccessf#lF (p* K2)
-n the end, many people ith the fixed mindset #nderstand that their cloa& of
specialness as really a s#it of armor they b#ilt to feel safe, strong, and orthy* While it
may ha.e protected them early on, later it constricted their groth, sent them into self>
defeating battles, and c#t them off from satisfying, m#t#al relationships* (p* 2K2)
Failure
1eyond ho tra#matic a set bac& can be in the fixed mindset, this mindset gi.es yo# no
good recipe for o.ercoming it* -f fail#re means yo# lac& competence or potential5that
yo# are a fail#re5here do yo# go from thereF (p* K4)
College st#dents, after doing poorly on a test, ere gi.en a chance to loo& at tests of
other st#dents* Those in the groth mindset loo&ed at the tests of people ho had done
far better than they had* 9s #s#al, they anted to correct their deficiency* 1#t st#dents
in the fixed mindset chose to loo& at the tests of people ho had done really poorly*
That as their ay of feeling better abo#t themsel.es* (p* K/)
9nother ay people ith the fixed mindset try to repair their self>esteem after a fail#re
is by assigning blame or ma&ing exc#ses* (p* K/)
The fixed mindset creates the feeling that yo# can really &no the permanent tr#th
abo#t yo#rself* 9nd this can be comforting: @o# don6t ha.e to try for s#ch>and>s#ch
beca#se yo# don6t ha.e the talent* @o# ill s#rely s#cceed at th#s>and>s#ch beca#se yo#
do ha.e the talent* (p* 4A)
-n short, hen people belie.e in fixed traits, they are alays in danger of being
meas#red by a fail#re* -t can define them in a permanent ay* "mart or talented as they
may be, this mindset seems to rob them of their coping reso#rces* (p* I1)
Malcolm <ladell, the a#thor and New Yor!er riter, has s#ggested that as a society
e .al#e nat#ral, effortless accomplishment o.er achie.ement thro#gh effort* We
endo o#r heroes ith s#perh#man abilities that led them ine.itably toard their
greatness* -t6s as if Midori popped o#t of the omb fiddling, Michael Hordan dribbling,
and !icasso doodling* This capt#res the fixed mindset perfectly* 9nd it6s e.eryhere* (p*
I1)
9ccess To 9 Context That Dses @o#:
9fterord to Mindset: The Ne !sychology of "#ccess$
World Enlightainment
The intention of ha.ing yo# read the foregoing collection of excerpts from the boo& Mindset: The
Ne !sychology of "#ccess$ by Carol %ec& is not so m#ch to learn abo#t mindsets per se
(altho#gh that is .al#able in its on right), b#t to gi.e yo# a sense of hat it is to be used by
something* -n her case, she explores and demonstrates ho the groth mindset context #ses one in
a ay that leads nat#rally to increased learning and performance, and conse'#ently s#ccess* -n her
research %ec& also shos that it is possible for a person to be freed from a mindset they o#nd #p
ith (e*g*, a fixed mindset) and adopt a ne mindset (e*g*, a groth mindset) that gi.es them a ne
more empoering ay of being and acting as their nat#ral self>expression*
Note that it in the LML co#rse e #se mindset$ and frame of reference$ as synonyms, and ma&e
clear that one6s frame of reference (mindset) relati.e to, for example mother and motherhood, ser.e
as a context#al lens that constrains and shapes one6s perceptions, emotions, creati.e imagination,
thin&ing, planning, and conse'#ently one6s actions hen being a mother and in the exercise of
motherhood* This parallels %ec&6s findings abo#t one6s mindset relati.e to learning ser.ing (in
o#r lang#age) as a context#al lens that constrains and shapes one6s perceptions, emotions, creati.e
imagination, thin&ing, planning, and conse'#ently one6s actions related to learning*
-n o#r LMLco#rse, yo# ill be pro.ided ith the opport#nity to create for yo#rself hat it is to be a
mother and hat it is to exercise motherhood effecti.ely as a context that #ses yo#* 9 context for
mother and motherhood that #ses yo#$ is one that calls forth the being and action of effecti.e and
optimal motherhood as yo#r nat#ral self>expression* @o# no ha.e some sense of the poer in
creating a context that #ses yo#*
%ssi(n&ent: M#estions and Comments for yo# to consider:
-dentify one or to people yo# &no ho ha.e a groth or a fixed mindset* -n hat ay are they
#sed by their context for learningF -n hat ay does their context for learning shape the
opport#nities they seeF -n hat ay does it shape ho they react to challengesF -n hat ay does it
shape their ay of being, their thin&ing and planning, and their actionsF
=oo& at yo#r on reactions to fail#re, to s#ccess, to ta&ing ris&s, to p#tting forth great effort, and in
trying ne things: in hat ays are yo# #sed by yo#r context for learning (fixed mindset or groth
mindset)F -n hat ays does yo#r context for learning dri.e hat yo# pay attention toF
-n hat ay does yo#r context for learning dri.e yo#r engagement ith de.eloping yo#rself in
being a mother and exercising maternal acti.ities effecti.elyF
The '#estions listed abo.e are specifically abo#t being #sed by one6s context for learning* No gi.e
some tho#ght more generally to hat is it to be #sed by something*