What is a growth mindset? In broad terms, it is a belief system where everything is possible including the possibilities that do not exist in the present moment. In systems theory and other important philosophical theories, a mindset is an assemble of ideas, beliefs, or practices held by one or a group of individuals. A mindset might also be described as emerging from a person’s world view or philosophy of existence. A person with such a viewpoint would be expected to behave in the same manner.
The ability to acquire new information, to apply it, to develop and strengthen it, and to understand it completely is considered to be one of the essential skills necessary for an individual to achieve his potential. One of the ways this can be achieved is by acquiring new knowledge and understanding through proper education. This education must begin in the primary level and continue to build on it as the individual grows. The growth mindset believes that all students are capable of learning new things and should be encouraged to do so. It also recognizes that intelligence is something that improves over time.
The growth mindset believes that intelligence can be improved by applying what was learned in school on a more consistent basis, by testing the skills of the student, by challenging the student’s current skills and abilities to achieve more, and by providing positive feedback to those who perform well. Those who have a strong growth mindset believe that the more challenges and tests a child or person takes, the more his or her true intelligence will grow. They also believe that true intelligence is something that can be found in people who are willing to work for it.
Another common belief of those with a growth mindset is that hard work produces great results. They believe that those who choose to make the most of their opportunities to earn the rewards that are intended for them. Hard work can be defined as exerting long-term effort towards the achievement of pre-set goals. It is not the process by which results are achieved; rather, it is the way in which results are achieved. For those with a growth mindset, hard work does not require the application of magic formulas, but rather, it is about making the most of every opportunity that comes your way.
Those with a growth mindset believe that intelligence is something that improves over time. They do not view intelligence as something that is fixed, unalterable, and unchangeable. Those who have a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be developed. They are also able to accept that intelligence cannot be measured, only applied.
Those with growth mindset also avoid the mindset traps of fixed mindsets. A fixed mindset is one where the mind tends to focus on failures and the reasons why they occur instead of looking at opportunities and the reasons why they could have failed. When you have a fixed mindset, you tend to see everything in the same way, regardless of how unique or rare the situation may be. Also, you tend to ignore lessons from past setbacks. Those with a growth mindset learn new things every day. They also learn from their successes, and from the failures that they face as well.
Those who have growth mindsets see intelligence as something that can be improved, not something that is inherent in us all the time. They believe that intelligence can be learned, that it can be developed, and that the person who has the development mindset will be better equipped to handle challenging situations than someone who believes that intelligence is fixed and unalterable. While it is true that a fixed mindset keeps an individual from seeking growth, it is also true that a growth mindset allows someone to reach new heights in their chosen field.
The biggest difference between people who possess a growth mindset and those who possess a fixed mindset is that the first one does not believe that he or she is inferior. The second one does not see intelligence as something that can be enhanced. Neither one believes that a struggle is something to be avoided, but a natural part of life that need to be overcome. And although the fixed mindset does not view growth as something negative, the growth mindset does, and those who possess it are usually much happier than their counterparts.