Growth Mindset is the belief that given enough time, energy and attention, you can achieve anything you want, as long as the trade-offs are acceptable.
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The contrary position is the Fixed Mindset - the belief that there are innate and fixed limits on our capacity for growth - that we cannot rise above these limitations.
People with a Growth Mindset view a challenge as an opportunity to calibrate their capabilities, and failure as feedback on what they need to develop further.
On the other hand, people with a Fixed Mindset, view a challenge as a test of their capability, and failure as confirmation that something is beyond them.
Let’s take a simple example. Suppose you interview for a bigger role and don’t get selected.
In a fixed mindset, you'd probably say: “I don’t have what it takes. There’s no point trying again.”
However, in a growth mindset, you might say: “I’m not ready for this role yet. I'll find out what it takes, so I can work on it, and try again.”
It's not like you have only a growth mindset or a fixed mindset (that would be a fixed mindset belief!)
All of us have a natural tendency toward one or the other, but we slip into and out of both mindsets all the time.
Your career success depends on the time you spend in growth mindset.
