About the book

This is a book about mindset, how to change your mindset – if needed, and how to stay on track.

I got hint of the book from an article stating that Narayana Nadella (CEO of Microsoft) had red it. I was thinking that maybe it’s worth the try. It was worth the effort and I learned from it a great deal.   

What are the key learnings?

This book has three key learnings:

1) In a nutshell the key learning is that people have either growth mindset or fixed mindset. Growth mindset people believe that eternal learning is the key to success. Fixed mindset people believe that their superiority is due to “divine” luck.

2) Second most important learning is: “You have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs.”

3) Third most important key learning is…. “Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It’s about seeing things in a new way.”

“Sometimes we’re in one mindset and sometimes we’re in the other. Our task then becomes to understand what triggers our fixed mindset. What happens when our fixed-mindset “persona” shows up—the character within who warns us to avoid challenges and beats us up when we fail at something?”

A minor disappointment is that with the merits that the writer has – she uses a lot inductive reasoning. Namely individual athletes like John McEnroe or Michael Jordan. More disappointing is that she spends time quoting Wooden, Collins and Gladwell. They all are my favorite authors, but we know already the works of them. 

Your prize… “Change can be tough, but I’ve never heard anyone say it wasn’t worth it.”

Chapter 1 THE MINDSETS

About mindset…. “Alfred Binet, the inventor of the IQ test – designed this test to identify children who were not profiting from the Paris public schools, so that new educational programs could be designed to get them back on track. He believed that education and practice could bring about fundamental changes in intelligence.”

“In fact, as Gilbert Gottlieb, an eminent neuroscientist, put it, not only do genes and environment cooperate as we develop, but genes require input from the environment to work properly.”

Purposeful engagement…. “Robert Sternberg, the present-day guru of intelligence, writes that the major factor in whether people achieve expertise “is not some fixed prior ability, but purposeful engagement.” 

Word…. “Binet recognized, it’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.”

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR YOU? THE TWO MINDSETS

“My research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.”

Fixed mindset…. “Believing that your qualities are carved in stone—the fixed mindset—creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you have only: 

– a certain amount of intelligence, 

– a certain personality, and 

– a certain moral character—well, then you’d better prove that you have a healthy dose of them.”

Growth mindset…. “This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts, your strategies, and help from others. Although people may differ in every which way—in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments—everyone can change and grow through application and experience.”

“They believe that a person’s true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it’s impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.”

“Did you know that Darwin and Tolstoy were considered ordinary children?”

“The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.

“It’s startling to see the degree to which people with the fixed mindset do not believe in putting in effort or getting help.”

“Studies show that people are terrible at estimating their abilities. But it was those with the fixed mindset who accounted for almost all the inaccuracy. The people with the growth mindset were amazingly accurate.”

Chapter 2 INSIDE THE MINDSETS

Important…. “Nothing was easy. So why am I satisfied? I changed my mindset. There were two meanings to ability, not one: a fixed ability that needs to be proven, and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning.

IS SUCCESS ABOUT LEARNING—OR PROVING YOU’RE SMART? 

Learners and nonlearners…. “Benjamin Barber, an eminent political theorist, once said, “I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures. . . . I divide the world into the learners and nonlearners.”

“Believing that success is about learning, students with the growth mindset seized the chance.”

“Those with the fixed mindset didn’t want to expose their deficiencies. Instead, to feel smart in the short run, they were willing to put their college careers at risk. This is how the fixed mindset makes people into nonlearners.”

Nonlearners…. “Their brain waves showed them paying close attention when they were told whether their answers were right or wrong. But when they were presented with information that could help them learn, there was no sign of interest.”

See the potential…. “People with the growth mindset hoped for a different kind of partner. They said their ideal mate was someone who would: See their faults and help them to work on them. Challenge them to become a better person. Encourage them to learn new things.”

Business leaders:

–      Lee Iacocca had become a nonlearner.

–      “Darwin Smith, looking back on his extraordinary performance at Kimberly-Clark, declared, “I never stopped trying to be qualified for the job.”

–      Albert Dunlap, a self-professed fixed mindsetter, was brought in to turn around Sunbeam. He chose the short-term strategy of looking like a hero to Wall Street. The stock soared but the company fell apart.

–      Lou Gerstner, an avowed growth mindsetter, was called in to turn around IBM.

“People in a growth mindset don’t just seek challenge, they thrive on it. The bigger the challenge, the more they stretch. Actually, people with the fixed mindset expect ability to show up on its own, before any learning takes place. After all, if you have it you have it, and if you don’t you don’t. I see this all the time.

“The fixed mindset does not allow people the luxury of becoming. They have to already be.”

Effort & coaching…. “But isn’t potential someone’s capacity to develop their skills with effort and coaching over time? And that’s just the point.”

Superior…. “When people with the fixed mindset opt for success over growth, what are they really trying to prove? That they’re special. Even superior.”

Special…. “The problem is when special begins to mean better than others. A more valuable human being. A superior person. An entitled person.”

In short…. “People who believe in fixed traits feel an urgency to succeed, and when they do, they may feel more than pride. They may feel a sense of superiority, since success means that their fixed traits are better than other people’s. However, lurking behind that self-esteem of the fixed mindset is a simple question: If you’re somebody when you’re successful, what are you when you’re unsuccessful?”

John Wooden…. “you aren’t a failure until you start to blame. What he means is that you can still be in the process of learning from your mistakes until you deny them.”

“The top is where the fixed-mindset people hunger to be, but it’s where many growth-minded people arrive as a by-product of their enthusiasm for what they do.”

Outcome…. “This point is also crucial. In the fixed mindset, everything is about the outcome. If you fail—or if you’re not the best—it’s all been wasted. The growth mindset allows people to value what they’re doing regardless of the outcome.”

Focus…. “How it’s so important to focus on learning and improving. It turned me around. My defects are things I can work on!”

Chapter 3 THE TRUTH ABOUT ABILITY AND ACCOMPLISHMENT

“The fixed mindset, plus stereotyping, plus women’s trust in other people’s assessments of them: All of these contribute to the gender gap in math and science. That gap is painfully evident in the world of high tech.”

Plans…. “In fact, their father applied the growth mindset to everything. I’ll never forget a conversation we had some years ago. I was single at the time, and he asked me what my plan was for finding a partner. He was aghast when I said I didn’t have a plan. “You wouldn’t expect your work to get done by itself,” he said. “Why is this any different?” It was inconceivable to him that you could have a goal and not take steps to make it happen.”

Chapter 4 SPORTS: THE MINDSET OF A CHAMPION

Character… “All of these people had character. None of them thought they were special people, born with the right to win. They were people who worked hard, who learned how to keep their focus under pressure, and who stretched beyond their ordinary abilities when they had to. Character is what allows you to reach the top and stay there.”

“To be successful in sports, you need to learn techniques and skills and practice them regularly.”

WHAT IS SUCCESS? 

Finding #1: Those with the growth mindset found success in doing their best, in learning and improving. And this is exactly what we find in the champions. For those with the fixed mindset, success is about establishing their superiority, pure and simple. Being that somebody who is worthier than the nobodies.

WHAT IS FAILURE?

Finding #2: Those with the growth mindset found setbacks motivating. They’re informative. They’re a wake-up call.

TAKING CHARGE OF SUCCESS

Finding #3: People with the growth mindset in sports (as in pre-med chemistry) took charge of the processes that bring success—and that maintain it. Always a victim of outside forces. Why didn’t he take charge and learn how to perform well in spite of them? That’s not the way of the fixed mindset.

Great athletes… “Character, heart, the mind of a champion. It’s what makes great athletes and it’s what comes from the growth mindset with its focus on self-development, self-motivation, and responsibility.

Somebody-nobody syndrome… “Even though the finest athletes are wildly competitive and want to be the best, greatness does not come from the ego of the fixed mindset, with its somebody–nobody syndrome.”

Chapter 5 BUSINESS: MINDSET AND LEADERSHIP

“Those with the growth mindset kept on learning. Not worried about measuring—or protecting—their fixed abilities, they looked directly at their mistakes, used the feedback, and altered their strategies accordingly.”

FIXED-MINDSET LEADERS IN ACTION

“Fixed-mindset leaders, like fixed-mindset people in general, live in a world where some people are superior and some are inferior. They must repeatedly affirm that they are superior, and the company is simply a platform for this.”

“Fixed-mindset people want to be the only big fish so that when they compare themselves to those around them, they can feel a cut above the rest.”

Muckamuck… “Warren Bennis, the leadership guru, studied the world’s greatest corporate leaders. These great leaders said they didn’t set out to be leaders. They’d had no interest in proving themselves. They just did what they loved—with tremendous drive and enthusiasm—and it led where it led. Iacocca wasn’t like that. Yes, he loved the car business, but more than anything he yearned to be a muckamuck at Ford. He craved the approval of Henry Ford II and the royal trappings of office. These were the things he could measure himself by, the things that would prove he was somebody.”

“Their minds are always on one thing: Validate me!”

GROWTH-MINDSET LEADERS IN ACTION

As growth-minded leaders, they start with a belief in human potential and development—both their own and other people’s. Instead of using the company as a vehicle for their greatness, they use it as an engine of growth—for themselves, the employees, and the company as a whole.

Jack Welch: Listening, Crediting, Nurturing

GROUPTHINK VERSUS WE THINK…. “In the early 1970s, Irving Janis popularized the term groupthink. It’s when everyone in a group starts thinking alike. No one disagrees. No one takes a critical stance. It can lead to catastrophic decisions, and, as the Wood study suggests, it often can come right out of a fixed mindset:

–      Groupthink can occur when people put unlimited faith in a talented leader, a genius. This is what led to the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion.

–      To prevent this from happening to him, Winston Churchill set up a special department. Others might be in awe of his titanic persona, but the job of this department, Jim Collins reports, was to give Churchill all the worst news.

–      Alfred P. Sloan, the former CEO of General Motors, presents a nice contrast. He was leading a group of high-level policy makers who seemed to have reached a consensus. “Gentlemen,” he said, “I take it we are all in complete agreement on the decision here. . . . Then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about.”

Chapter 6 RELATIONSHIPS: MINDSETS IN LOVE (OR NOT)

Many people want to feel their relationship is special and not just some chance occurrence. This seems okay. So what’s the problem with the fixed mindset? There are two. 

1.   If You Have to Work at It, It Wasn’t Meant to Be One problem is that people with the fixed mindset expect everything good to happen automatically. It’s not that the partners will work to help each other solve their problems or gain skills.

2.   Problems Indicate Character Flaws The second big difficulty with the fixed mindset is the belief that problems are a sign of deep-seated flaws. But just as there are no great achievements without setbacks, there are no great relationships without conflicts and problems along the way.

MIND READING Part of the low-effort belief is the idea that couples should be able to read each other’s minds.

AGREEING ON EVERYTHING It’s strange to believe in mind reading. But it makes sense when you realize that many people with a fixed mindset believe that a couple should share all of each other’s views.

Chapter 7 PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND COACHES: WHERE DO MINDSETS COME FROM?

It can be a fixed-mindset message that says: You have permanent traits and I’m judging them. Or it can be a growth-mindset message that says: You are a developing person and I am committed to your development.

Don’t judge. Teach. It’s a learning process.

PREPARING PLAYERS FOR LIFE Was Wooden a genius, a magician able to turn mediocre players into champions? Actually, he admits that in terms of basketball tactics and strategies, he was quite average. What he was really good at was analyzing and motivating his players. With these skills he was able to help his players fulfill their potential, not just in basketball, but in life—something he found even more rewarding than winning games.

What a Growth Mindset Is and Is Not?

Misunderstanding #1. Many people take what they like about themselves and call it a “growth mindset.”

Misunderstanding #2. Many people believe that a growth mindset is only about effort, especially praising effort.

Misunderstanding #3. A growth mindset equals telling kids they can do anything.

How Do You Get a (True) Growth Mindset? You don’t get a growth mindset by proclamation. You move toward it by taking a journey.

What I will emphasize here is that it is a long journey, one that takes commitment and persistence:

– Even parents who hold a growth mindset can find themselves praising their child’s ability—and neglecting to focus on their child’s learning process.

– Second, it’s the way adults respond to children’s mistakes or failures. When a child has a setback and the parent reacts with anxiety or with concern about the child’s ability, this fosters more of a fixed mindset in the child.

– Third, passing on a growth mindset is about whether teachers are teaching for understanding or are simply asking students to memorize facts, rules, and procedures.

It’s the parents who respond to their children’s setbacks with interest and treat them as opportunities for learning who are transmitting a growth mindset to their children.

Chapter 8 CHANGING MINDSETS

– Beliefs Are the Key to Happiness (and to Misery)  

– Mindsets Go Further

THE MINDSET LECTURES Just learning about the growth mindset can cause a big shift in the way people think about themselves and their lives.

A MINDSET WORKSHOP Adolescence, as we’ve seen, is a time when hordes of kids turn off to school. You can almost hear the stampede as they try to get as far from learning as possible.

MORE ABOUT CHANGE Is change easy or hard? So far it sounds easy. Simply learning about the growth mindset can sometimes mobilize people for meeting challenges and persevering.

PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO CHANGE Entitlement: The World Owes You Many people with the fixed mindset think the world needs to change, not them. They feel entitled to something better—a better job, house, or spouse. The world should recognize their special qualities and treat them accordingly.

MINDSET AND WILLPOWER. Remember that willpower is not just a thing you have or don’t have. Willpower needs help.

Maybe that’s why Alcoholics Anonymous tells people they will always be alcoholics—so they won’t become complacent and stop doing what they need to do to stay sober. It’s a way of saying, “You’ll always be vulnerable.”

THE JOURNEY TO A (TRUE) GROWTH MINDSET

The Journey: Step 1 You’ll be surprised to hear me say this.

The Journey: Step 2 The second step is to become aware of your fixed-mindset triggers. When does your fixed-mindset “persona” come home to roost? As you come to understand your triggers and get to know your persona, don’t judge it. Just observe it.

The Journey: Step 3 Now give your fixed-mindset persona a name.

The Journey: Step 4 You’re in touch with your triggers and you’re excruciatingly aware of your fixed-mindset persona and what it does to you. It has a name. What happens now? Educate it. Take it on the journey with you. The more you become aware of your fixed-mindset triggers, the more you can be on the lookout for the arrival of your persona. If you’re on the verge of stepping out of your comfort zone, be ready to greet it when it shows up and warns you to stop.

How should we change according to the book?

Take the journey to a growth mindset.

What should I personally do?

“It’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.”

Summary

The book in six words – ”You have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs”