Why do some people thrive throughout their lives and succeed in all its areas while others stagnate in their development?
Dr. Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford and one of the leading experts on motivation theory, has pursued this question in years of research.
The surprising result:
Not talent or intelligence are decisive for a person's development, but their "mindset". The author distinguishes between the "fixed mindset" and the "growth mindset".
People with a fixed mindset believe that qualities, talents, and intelligence are unchangeable. You either have them, or you don't. They need constant affirmation and like to be in groups where they are the best.
When faced with difficulties and failures, they become insecure, lose motivation, and give up quickly. They often blame others for mistakes.
People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that personality, talents, skills, and intelligence can be constantly developed and that they can achieve high goals with practice and effort.
Mistakes and failures motivate these people to identify areas for improvement and actively close the gaps by pursuing further education and developing their personalities.
No one is a wholly fixed or growth type – both mentalities coexist in varying degrees in each of us.
We can learn to recognize on a situational basis when we are in the fixed mindset and how to shift into the growth mindset.
Using numerous stories from different areas of life, the author illustrates how ordinary people have achieved great things with the right mindset.
The book provides many practical tips for self-development and – for parents and teachers – for promoting the growth mindset in children, such as praising effort and improvement rather than intelligence and talent.
Despite its academic background, the book is easy to understand and reads smoothly. It inspires reflection on one's own mindset and sparks the desire to grow beyond oneself.
Author's Ted Talk: The power of believing that you can improve
🎧 Suitable as an audiobook? Yes!
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