The “growth mindset” is the attitude that challenges need not be faced with dread, but instead, with a desire to learn from failure. In her book, Mindset, Dr. Dweck discusses the long-term benefits of the growth mindset and discourages approaching challenges with a fixed mindset, the attitude that an infallible identity is much more important than learning. Though many individuals with the fixed mindset remain skeptical about the existence of the growth mindset, the growth mindset does exist and can easily be differentiated from the fixed mindset. In fact, Dr. Dweck conducted lengthy research that demonstrates not only the existence of the growth mindset, but also the effectiveness of this mindset.
The freshmen at the University of Hong Kong exemplify the existence of the growth mindset. Despite the university’s location, all the classes, textbooks, and exams are in English. As expected of students in Hong Kong, not all of them are very fluent in English. In fact, the number of students who were not skilled in England was so significant that the faculty offered a course for students who need to improve their English skills. The freshmen with the growth mindset enthusiastically accepted the offer
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For the people with the fixed mindset, their scores were their only concerns. Brain-wave tests revealed that they were attentive while they received their results. However, information that could potentially help them learn were disregarded. On the other hand, people with the growth mindset paid attention to information that could increase their knowledge, For them, the explanation for a correct answer was much more important than simple feedback. From the brain-wave research. Dr. Dweck was able to confirm the different thinking processes that people with different mindsets