What is a growth mindset? In terms of management theory and personal systems theory, a growth mindset is simply a collection of attitudes, techniques, or ideas held by a single individual or group of individuals. In business theory and practice, it is the mindset of the person who is able to rise to new challenges with the assumption that they can achieve great results. A mindset can also be viewed as stemming from an individual’s perception of his/her world view or philosophy of living.
Growth mindset happens when people believe that their basic abilities are growing and that no matter what they do, they will always be learning. To them, learning and growing are synonymous. Their belief is that hard work is the best investment of time. It is the best way to stay relevant in today’s highly competitive business environment. They believe that in order to stay relevant, they need to continuously learn and expand themselves. Those who have developed this kind of mindset are highly sought after in today’s business world.
So why is a growth mindset important? Humans are the most successful when they possess two essential qualities: intelligence and creativity. Those who possess the intelligence to understand the value of intelligence, then use that intelligence to increase their capabilities are the ones who possess growth mindset. Those who possess these two talents but are afraid of using them because of their “fixed” talents are not truly growing. They are instead procrastinating.
Growth mindsets do not see fixed traits as something that is “natural” and “inaligible” for everyone to acquire. Instead, such traits are seen as limiting and as a contributor to the “one world” concept. In contrast, those who have growth mindset see everyone as potential. This is because such individuals believe that intelligence, talent, skills, and passions can be developed and nurtured. Consequently, no one is born “inaligible” for greatness. Everyone has the ability to become a creator, an engineer, an architect, a statesman, a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer, an investor, a philanthropist, and much more.
Another advantage of growth mindset is that it promotes a sense of fairness in the application of our laws, rules, regulations, and ethics. No one should be favored or victimized under any circumstances. People with such mindsets are often much more willing to follow rules, regulations, and ethical codes than those who have a less “fairness” attitude.
Finally, growth mindset believes in self-worth, which is closely tied to intelligence. Individuals who possess such an attitude are intelligent and capable of achieving great things. They know that intelligence does not come from birth, but rather has to be worked at, developed, and nurtured. Those who do not have growth mindset believe that their talents can be achieved and in fact will come to them automatically.
Individuals with growth mindset also tend to approach challenges differently than those who have a fixed mindset. Those with a fixed mindset respond to challenges in the same way: they groan and cry, and get frustrated and confused. But those with growth mindset treat each challenge as a stepping stone to greater success. They look at challenges as opportunities to grow. As we all know, it takes years to build a lasting relationship, and those who have a growth mindset are much more likely to be happy and successful in their relationships.
In summary, having a growth mindset encourages students to take on challenging academic and social activities that will prepare them for life. It helps students understand and manage responsibility, while showing them how to interact positively with others. It provides students with tools for problem solving, while teaching them to identify and solve problems quickly and efficiently. I encourage students to consider growth mindset as part of their learning process.