Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol Dweck - a book review

I recently finished the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Dr. Carol Dweck. The premise of the book is that people have one of two mindsets in life: growth-minded or fixed-minded. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe your talents and abilities are set in stone (i.e. John McEnroe or Enron) while the growth mindset believes that intelligence, talents and abilities can be developed over time (i.e. Michael Jordan and Jack Welch). The book is easy to read and provides a plethora of real-world examples and case studies. Better yet, there are helpful questions and exercises at the end of each chapter (Grow Your Mindset) that allow you to develop a plan of action towards changing or leveraging your mindset. While the sports analogies are entertaining and insightful, the most powerful section (for me as a parent at least) was about how to develop your children’s growth mindset. The biggest mistake you can make is perpetuating the fixed mindset by telling your child that they are naturally gifted, as it sends a message that they don’t have to work hard, and that failure is not an option. Focus on the process and the effort (learning) rather than the output (grades). I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in developing their growth mindset, whether personally, professionally or within their family.

Tags: book, Carol Dweck, Mindset, review, The New Psychology of Success