How the Growth vs. Fixed Mindset Impacts How You Respond to Failure
Why do some people respond better to failure than others? It all starts with mindset. When it comes to failure in particular, the research Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. provides in her preeminent book on mindset suggest two mindsets dominate. A growth mindset and a fixed mindset.
The growth mindset is one in which you believe that self-improvement is a product of hard work and the innate talents you are born with are just the starting point. On the other hand, the fixed mindset is a belief that human characteristics are carved in stone at birth. Furthermore, with a fixed mindset you believe you’re either good at something or you’re not. If you are good at something it will be easy, if you’re not it will be hard.
These two contrasting mindsets create a stark difference to how one responds to failure. Those with a growth mindset see failure as temporary. They believe that with hard work, the next time will be different. In contrast, those with a fixed mindset see failure as something caused by a personality trait or defect. They believe that the failure is a result of who they are, not what they did.
I don’t have to argue why the growth mindset is better for responding to failure, as it’s pretty clear. Unfortunately though, if you have a fixed mindset you need a growth mindset to change it.
This circular problem of figuring out how to grow into a growth mindset even though you have a fixed mindset is not an easy nut to crack. You must know in your heart you have the wrong mindset, and accept the internal struggle to change your fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
This requires a tremendous amount of self-awareness, which in turn requires emotional intelligence. As a result, before you try to change a fixed mindset into a growth mindset, work on improving emotional intelligence first.