Mindset

This book is the one I’ve recommended the most to friends, family, and clients. In fact, I had a sales team I was coaching read it as an exercise, and it completely transformed their way of working!

I live for distinctions, and Dweck’s distinction between growth mindset and fixed mindset is so simple, so obvious, and yet so profound it transformed the way I endeavor to take risks, show up in life, be in relationships, and parent my children. I thought I understood what these mindsets were just by the names of them, but the subtleties and the nuance blew… show more.

My perspective totally changed as a parent and teacher after reading, Mindset I thought I knew what a growth mindset was all about, but Dweck’s insightful research quickly changed my mind. A growth mindset is more than a “I can” mantra, or learning from mistakes, or persevering through challenges.

Dweck’s research explains how the brain is like a muscle that grows smarter due to its neuroplasticity. I became more intrigued when Dweck showed to school-aged students various brain scans of different brain regions “lighting up” during learning. After I read about Jimmy, I was hooked.

Knowing that our brains make… show more.

There’s a Henry Ford quote my mom used to always tell me growing up—which at the time, irritated me to no end, but now I realize it’s wisdom:  

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” 

This book shows that this is far more than a pithy quote, through in-depth research on the impact of having what is called a “growth mindset” where you actively lean into tackling new challenges and securing opportunities that might initially feel beyond your reach, with understanding that you will learn, evolve and grow to meet the occasion.

I am now… show more.

Carol Dweck's research helps explain why some people are more willing to explore curiosity based on the impact interaction with others has had on them.

I loved this book because she reveals what parents, teachers, and others inadvertently say or do, that impacts whether we have an open/growth or closed/fixed mindset. When writing my Curiosity Code Index assessment, Dweck's book helped to determine some of the factors associated with the things that inhibit curiosity.

This book will change the way you interact with those around you because it will make you cognizant of the power of how we word things… show more.

If you want to be more creative, then you must get this book!

Dweck’s thesis is that we tend to approach challenges with one of two mindsets - “fixed” or “growth.” Too many people, according to Dweck, approach creative challenges with a mindset that quashes their creative spirit and jeopardizes their personal or professional success.

But the good news is that with a few alterations in our everyday thinking, we can alter our mindset and allow our natural creative spirit to flourish. Whether we are parents, CEOs, teachers, plumbers, computer technicians, or athletes we can re-energize our innate creativity to… show more.

Carol Dweck's book Mindset explores the idea that our beliefs about our own abilities and potential can have a significant impact on our success in life.

Dweck identifies two distinct mindsets that people can have: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that their talents and abilities are fixed traits that cannot be changed, while those with a growth mindset believe that their abilities can be developed through hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

This work has resonated with me during my more than two decades of experience driving innovation from Silicon Valley, where I… show more.

This book blew me away because of one central insight: you can choose how you feel.

Until that moment, I had always thought that my feelings were dictated by circumstances. That is classic victim mentality.

Once you realise that your feelings are your choice, you are empowered to make good choices about how you feel, even (especially) in bad moments. 

Mindset shows you the power of making good choices, and how you can make them. For me, it was a life-enhancing book.

This is one of my favorite books that I assign in all of my classes at UC Berkeley and regularly recommend to people embarking on life transitions. Dweck makes a compelling case that those of us who develop a growth mindset (and it absolutely can be developed!) are able to unlock our full potential. This means learning to embrace challenges, learn from failure, and find joy in the successes of those around us. She’s a Stanford professor, so it’s empirically grounded, but the insights are so actionable and can help each of us see the world in a brand new… show more.

Dweck’s concept of “growth mindset” is an incredibly useful way to explain why some individuals and organizations respond more effectively to disruption than others. The key is, as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella points out, is to shift from being a ‘know-it-all’ to a ‘learn-it-all’. Dweck’s message is “It’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.” 

Mindset goes deep on a particular, but vital, aspect of success – the idea of growth mindset. Put simply: People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are far less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed through hard work. Based on her long career as a researcher and educator, Dweck clearly explains what a growth mindset is, why it matters and how we can cultivate our own. It’s a helpful guide for anyone who wants to shift how they think about their capabilities and intelligence, but most especially… show more.