It all depends on how you look at it

So many things depend on how we look at them. A glass is half full, or half empty. The sun which is warming to one person is burning to another. The dog pestering you out of bed is doing you a favour, or spoiling your sleep in…….

Our perception and assumptions about our intelligence are no different. The way we think about out intelligence makes a big difference to the path we follow.

A mindset is a set of entrenched assumptions which provide an incentive to continue to think or behave in a certain way. The term was popularised recently by Carol Dweck with her book titled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. She believes that your beliefs - your mindset -  shapes what you achieve. And this is irrespective of your level of potential.

She divides views of intelligence into 2 types. Someone with a fixed view of intelligence believes that intelligence is an entity and we have each been endowed with a finite supply. Basically, you have it, or you don’t. On the other hand if you have a growth mindset you would believe intelligence can be expanded through practice and effort.

Those with a growth mindset are more likely to seek out challenge, to learn more deeply and to achieve more. Those with a fixed mindset will likely play it safe, choose the easy options, shy away from challenge and ultimately limiting their options.

Dan Pink recently included The 3 Rules of Mindsets on his blog recently and I thought they were worth repeating it here.

RULE #1Fixed mindset: Look clever at all costs. (“The main thing I want when I do my school work is to show how good I am at it.”)

Growth mindset: Learn, learn, learn. (“It is much more important for me to learn things in my classes than it is to get the best grades.”)


RULE #2Fixed mindset: It should come naturally. (“To tell you the truth, when I work hard at my school work it makes me fee like I’m not very smart.”)

Growth mindset: Work hard, effort is key. (“The harder you work at something, the better you’ll be at it.”)


RULE #3Fixed mindset: Hide your mistakes and conceal your deficiencies. (After a disappointing exam score, “I’d spend less time on this subject from now on. I’d try not to take this subject ever again, and I would try to cheat on the next test.”)

Growth mindset: Capitalize on your mistakes and confront your deficiencies. (After a disappointing exam score, “I’d work harder in this class and spend more time studying for the tests.”)

Dweck isn’t the only person to talk about personality and approach having an impact on the development of talent. Francoys Gagne’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent includes Intrapersonal factors as contributors, Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers also examines how a person’s environment combined with personality factors shapes their path towards success. Martin Seligman's work on resilience and positive outlook al

What separates Dweck perhaps is that she believes a growth mindset can be learned.

I recently came across an excellent graphic which clearly shows the differences between the two ways of looking at the world (and the comparative inputs and outcome of each). It is one worth printing out and leaving lying around.