The 1990s-theory of the “growth mindset” becomes a growing trend in the 2010s and the 2020s. Back to 2008, Dr Carol S. Dweck, an American psychologist from Stanford University published a book called “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”, in which she explains her old theory of the growth mindset developed in the 1990s.

What is growth mindset all about?

The theory of the growth mindset is based on the idea of a continuously changing brain. It assumes that humans can develop or “grow” their capacities over time through learning and effort. The main point is to spot the difference between “growth” and “fixed” mindset.

People with a growth mindset acknowledge that their intelligence is not static but can be developed. They grasp challenges, persevere in times of defeat, keep making efforts until mastering something, learn from any criticism instead of ignoring it, learn and get inspired from others` achievements and successes. The good news is, if you feel you still live in a fixed mindset, you can take time to reflect and make the decision to change course. It is never too late.

Growth mindset can be developed from childhood

The theory of the growth mindset has become an education trend in American schools. Teaching children to have a growth mindset will help schools build “resilient” learners.

A kid with fixed mindset is more likely to say: “I am trash at maths”, tends to give up when things get tough, and does not believe he/she can improve. Therefore, the kid fails to reach his/her full potential.

Children are assumed to naturally have a growth mindset, but their mindset is later shaped by the environment in which they live: their family, schools, society. Here are a few advices on how to develop children’s growth mindset:

• Use the appropriate language. A feedback on the child’s ability – whether positive or negative – is sometimes toxic. Focus on the task instead. Rather than saying: “You are so good at football”, it is better to say “I loved the way you played today. You knew how to value your team”, for example. Instead of labelling your child: “You are rubbish at playing football”, it is way better to say: “I think that with more training, you will perform better next time”.
• Have high expectations for your children, without putting them under pressure. If you make your children think that you do not expect a lot from them, they are less likely to seek to grow, and it creates less growth in the brain. However, rushing and forcing your children may lead to the reverse effect. Instead of saying: “Do not disappoint me, I want you to score one goal next time”, it is better to say: “You will see that with time and training, you will perform better. Believe in yourself and you will score the winning goal for your team.”
• Train your children to celebrate their mistakes and struggles, and to accept that it is okay to be wrong. Show your children what mistakes they did and let them find out by themselves the lessons they have learnt from them. If your son does a math mistake, tell him the answer is wrong but do not correct it for them.

In a TED talk entitled: “The power of yet”, Dr Dweck explains that the words “yet” and “not yet” give children more confidence and help them create greater persistence in the future. There is a big difference between “You are not smart enough to solve it” – a fixed saying – and “You just have not solved it yet.” Today, the approach proves to be significantly popular in US schools. It is not only about getting A’s or excellent academic results. Growth mindset helps children to improve their behaviour and control their emotions.

Sources: The School Run / Habits for Wellbeing

Dweck, C.S., 2008. Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House Digital, Inc..