Chapter 1: The Science of Growth Mindset
A common misconception is that the theory of mindset is just that: a theory. As everyone seeks to self-help titles and topics to assist them in their personal growth, many find themselves lost among all of the different pieces of information floating around. This has resulted in many people not having a strong idea on what growth mindset truly is or about the proof that it genuinely exists. Many don’t even believe that this theory has any truth behind it based on a lot of misinformation that is mixed in with the facts.
The fortunate truth is that mindset actually does have very strong scientific roots, and you can use these as evidence that any work you do towards your mindset will hold great power in your ability to have a growth mindset. The rest of this chapter is going to explain the scientific roots of growth mindset, and why this should matter to you.
Theory Founder
The theory of growth mindset was founded over 30 years ago by a lady named Carol Dweck. Alongside her colleagues, they became fascinated in understanding their students’ attitudes surrounding the topic of “failure.” They developed this interest after seeing two very different reactions to failure in their students: some rebounded and were empowered to do better, and others were devastated no matter how small or large the failure was perceived to be.
Fixed Mindset VS. Growth Mindset
Following many studies involving thousands of students, Carol Dweck coined two terms: fixed mindset and growth mindset. These terms are used to describe each person’s underlying beliefs about intelligence and learning. Those who believe they can get smarter and understand that it takes effort and practice to get stronger with their skills are considered to have a “growth mindset.” They tend to be more motivated to work harder, enjoy challenging lessons that help them learn more, and are interested in expanding their intelligence. They do not believe they have a single unchangeable level of intelligence, but rather that they can change and expand their intelligence over time, with practice. As a result, they are more likely to apply themselves, practice, and learn more, which results in them having expanded intelligence.
The alternative to growth mindset is fixed mindset. As you might expect, this type of mindset is the exact opposite to growth mindset. People who have a fixed mindset believe that they have a foundational or fixed level of intelligence that cannot be changed, no matter how hard they try. They are less likely to attempt to learn new things because they do not think they can, and they are put off by challenge. They prefer things to be easy and like to have everything done perfectly. People with a fixed mindset tend to think that even minor failures have a terrible reflection of who they are, and they can be extremely devastated by them. This may be why they gravitate towards doing things they are already good at and refrain from learning anything new.
Neuroscientific Discoveries
Recently, there have been neuroscientific discoveries that support Carol Dweck and her colleague’s theory. Neuroscientists have learned that the brain is significantly more malleable than previously known and that there is a direct correlation between experiences and neuron connectivity. We know that when someone practices something new, existing neural networks grow new connections. They also strengthen existing ones and build insulation around the connections which are responsible for speeding up the transmission of impulses.
What this translates to in layman’s terms is that the more you practice something, the more your brain grows. Not only does it grow to accommodate for the new lessons and skills, but it also strengthens the existing ones. The more you practice new things, the healthier your brain's ability to develop new neural pathways is and therefore the easier it is for you to learn new things in the future.
There are specific “good habits” that can be practiced, which are responsible for helping to increase these neural pathways and strengthen the existing ones. Actions such as practicing, asking questions, and nourishing your body with healthy foods and adequate rest can all contribute to your ability to have a healthier brain that has a better growth mindset.
The Value of Growth Mindset
Alongside neuroscientific discoveries, many other researchers were beginning to understand more about growth mindset as well. They learned that there is a strong link between mindset and achievement. In other words, if you believe you can, you can. If you believe you cannot, you cannot. Those who believe they can learn new things, that their brain can grow, or that they can do any other number of things they desire often can. They find a way, and as a result, it happens. Alternatively, those who do not believe they can, do not. This is because they have a fixed mindset and therefore a decreased level of motivation and achievements.
You can see that it is extremely important for people to invest in having a growth mindset so that they can successfully achieve anything they set out to do. Whether they want to increase their salaries, learn new skills, expand their brain capacity, or otherwise do something, those who have growth mindset will almost certainly be able to achieve it to some degree. Those who do not will never achieve what they desire to achieve in life.
When Does Growth Mindset Benefit You?
Growth mindset can benefit you in many numbers of situations. You can do virtually anything you set your mind out to do when you have a growth mindset. Simply based on the fact that you believe you can enable you to make things happen. You can learn to increase your financial wealth, learn new skills, learn new languages, expand your vocabulary, take up new hobbies, increase your physical well-being, increase your brain activity, and many other things when you adopt a growth mindset.
How Do You Get a Growth Mindset?
Regardless of what type of mindset you presently have, fixed mindset or growth mindset, you can certainly transition so that you have a growth mindset. Learning to develop a growth mindset takes time and practice, but with the proper application of techniques, adequate time and patience, and enough effort, you can have a growth mindset. Throughout this book, you will learn exactly how you can establish a growth mindset for yourself, and how you can maintain it as well. That is exactly what this book is designed for!
Growth mindset is a powerful mindset state and strategy that will help you accomplish virtually anything you set out to do in your life. There are many people who benefit from their growth mindset, no matter what stage they were in their life when they developed one. Whether you have had a growth mindset all along, or you are learning to have one now in adulthood, you can still benefit from growth mindset. It is never too late to learn about the values of growth mindset, and how you can use it to expand your quality of life and lead your best life possible.