Growth Mindset

Emily Mattison & Saira Ayala Moorhead Academic Coaches

Office for Accessibility and Educational Opportunity

Vassar College

Opening Questions to Consider: What Kind of Mindset Do You Have?

❖ I embrace challenges and errors as learning experiences.

❖ I push forward in the face of struggle.

❖ I tell myself I’m working on it, and will get there step by step.

❖ I learn from and use constructive criticism to improve my efforts.

❖ I view the success of others as inspiration for my own learning.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

What is Growth Mindset?Key Points

❖ Intelligence can be improved upon and changed.

❖ Challenges and setbacks are a necessary part of the learning process.

❖ Learning is a lifelong process.

❖ Optimistic outlook during difficult situations (ex. How can I learn from this? Ways to improve next time?)

A Few More Ideas About Growth Mindset

❖ Focus is on one’s own learning and expansion of knowledge rather than on success vs. failure

❖ Success involves working hard to be your best self.

❖ Intelligence grows through difficult tasks, hard work and challenging problems.

❖ Involves positive self-talk and constructive view of the learning process.

❖ Obstacles or errors are a part of learning.

Exercise 1“Plans that you’ll carry out and ones that you won’t”- Imagine that you’ve applied to graduate school. You applied to just one place because it was the school you had your heart set on. And you were confident you'd be accepted since many people considered your work in your field to be original and exciting. But you were rejected (p. 226).

Fixed Mindset Reaction:

Growth Mindset Reaction:

Exercise 2“Feeling bad, but doing good”- You got drafted to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. The pressure is overwhelming. You yearn for playing time in the games but every time they put you in to try you out, you turn anxious and lose your focus. You are always cool under pressure but this is the pros. Now all you see are giant guys coming towards you- 1200 pounds of giant guys who want to take you apart. Giant guys who move faster than you ever thought possible. You feel cornered... helpless (p. 229).

Fixed Mindset Reaction:

Growth Mindset Reaction:

Exercise 3“Entitlement: the world owes you”- “Here I am,” you think, “in this low-level job it's demeaning. With my talent, I shouldn't have to work like this. I should be up there with the big time bosses, enjoying the good life.” Your boss thinks you have a bad attitude. When they need someone to take on more responsibilities, they don't turn to you. When it's time to give out promotions, they don't include you (p. 231).

Fixed Mindset Reaction:

Growth Mindset Reaction:

Questions to consider: (p. 244)

- What are the opportunities for learning

and growth today? For myself? For the people around me?

- When, where, and how will I embark on my plan?

- You encounter obstacles and setbacks→when, where, and how will I act on my new

plan?

- What do I have to do to maintain and continue the growth?

ReferenceDweck, C.S. (2006). Mindset the new psychology of success: How we can learn to

fulfill our potential. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.