Attitude of Fixed Mindset
They believe that if a person is talented in art, that the person doesn’t have to work hard at creating art.
They believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.
They are more likely to cheat on a test. They do this because they don’t want people to think that they aren’t smart enough (which is what they, themselves, believe).
They don’t tend to study for quizzes or tests because they don’t believe it will make them any smarter.
A person with a fixed mindset believes that if you learned how to do a math problem, it’s because you were smart enough to do it. That if you didn’t learn how to do it the first time, you’d never be good at it because you just aren’t smart enough.
Attitude of Growth Mindset
A person with a growth mindset believes that if you didn’t learn how to do a math problem the first time, that you would get much better at it with time, practice, and effort.
People with a growth mindset want to learn and don’t give up just because something is hard.
“Never, never, never give up.”
– Winston Churchill Great Britain prime minister during WWII
They tend to study for tests because they believe with effort, they can succeed.
They believe that if they don’t do well on something, that just means they need to work a little harder at it.
Growth Mindset
“People may start with different [abilities], but it is clear that experience, training, and personal effort take them the rest of the way.”
– Robert Sternberg
Author of “Successful Intelligence”
Fixed Mindset
People who have a fixed mindset believe the brain is either smart, average, or dumb. They believe you’re stuck with the brain you’ve got, and there’s nothing you can do about it
BUT...
…now research shows that the brain is more like a muscle – it changes and gets stronger when you use it.
So, how does your brain become stronger and more intelligent?
By exercising your brain’s neurons!
Neurons
“Neurons are what we call the cells in your brain. Neurons send and retrieve information through electricity (yes, there are small electrical pulses in your body.)
Neurons in our brain
But, if you don’t use these new neurons, they will DIE.
Every day, new neurons are being formed in your brain.
Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset?
If your answer was “fixed mindset”, let’s go back in time...
When you were a baby, you had a growth mindset.
From the time you were born, you began learning.
You learned to sit up, crawl, walk, talk, drink from a straw, feed yourself, and MUCH, MUCH more!
These things were difficult to do, but you didn’t give up!
Over time, you mastered them because you kept trying and working hard (because you had a growth mindset)!
