Fixed vs. Growth Mindset - Which is Better?

The concept of "mindset" was developed by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck. She conducted research over decades that showed "mindset" to be a determining factor in success.

Your mindset is determined by how you see yourself and your basic qualities. People with fixed mindsets believe their basic qualities, such as intelligence and talent, are fixed. They feel they "have a certain amount and that's that," explained Dweck in an interview with OneDublin. People with fixed mindsets fall into the trap of relying on their talent as opposed to working hard to achieve their goals. They additionally neglect to develop their talent and intelligence because they don't believe that's possible. "Their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb."

People with a growth mindset understand their talent and intelligence can be improved through hard work. "They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it," Dweck explained. This mindset fosters a greater level of resilience and motivation.

Sources: MindSetOnline.com, Dweck 2012 interview with OneDublin.com