Do You Approach Work with a “Fit Mindset” or “Develop Mindset”?
A little over a month ago I wrote about some new research from Patricia Chen, Ph.D. uncovering some insightful findings on the strategic mindset. This area of Chen’s research shows that people who strategically apply self-reflection skills to their goal pursuit process are more successful than those who don’t.
In addition to this research, Chen also has another area of mindset research that provides insightful findings on how people pursue goals. The theory is that people approach work and/or purpose in life leaning towards one of two mindsets. Either a fit mindset or a development mindset. A number of other researchers have done work in this area including Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., who many regard as the preeminent expert on mindset.
This area of research shows that people with a fit mindset prioritize strengths, passions, and motivations. They tend to look for work or a purpose that they are passionate about and that fits well with their strengths and motivations. Personally, I would consider myself as one who leans towards this mindset.
On the other hand, those with the development mindset prioritize goals and persistence. Having passion for their work is not as important to people with this mindset. They believe they will develop passion over time as they pursue and achieve their goals. As an aside, it just so happens I know several people in the sales industry who lean towards this mindset.
Although the research is not yet complete, it’s clear that leaning towards one of these two mindsets has a big impact on one’s expectations. With that said, it’s a good idea to reflect on which mindset type you lean towards. At minimum you can then be sure to use this for decision making when considering your approach to goals.