Key info
- Author: Carol Dweck
- Originally published: 2006
- Genre: Self-help book
As the saying goes, diagnose a problem and you might be able to fix it. So it goes to reason that if you know your brain and how it works, then you will be able to optimise it and get the best out of it, but also troubleshoot when there are problems.
And this book, Mindset is one of the best books that show you how your mind works and how our thinking or mindset determines our trajectory in life.
Through decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavour can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.
In Mindset, Dweck introduces the concept of fixed and growth mindsets. People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities are fixed so are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset, who believe that abilities can be developed.
Key themes
You can change your mindset
It shows that no matter who you are, you can change your mindset and achieve extraordinary things because our mindsets aren’t fixed.
A growth mindset leads to over achievement
Having a growth mindset means you embrace the challenge, struggle, criticism, and setbacks that produces success. It helps you reach your full potential because you don’t rely on luck or talent but rather depend on developing your skills and abilities.
Having a growth mindset allows you to love what you do.
This is where the idea of ‘you succeed when you do what you love’ comes from. Dweck shows that those with a fixed mindset simply love the results and the score while those with a growth mindset love the process and the growth so they tend to stick with it, becoming masters of what they do. People with fixed mindsets lose interest after a while so never achieve anything substantial.
This book was ground-breaking back when it was published back in 2006 and it still is today because it shows that with the right mindset, you can motivate and transform your life as well as the lives of those around you.
Mindset is one of those books you read more than once, it’s a lifelong companion that can be used to foster outstanding accomplishment. It is highly recommended!
