Reading Reflection No. 3

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Carol Dweck

1. General Theme/Argument
• The main theme of this book is the fixed vs. growth mindset and the characteristics of each. It is strongly skewed towards developing the growth mindset as it is more beneficial to people based on studies and statistics. The fixed mindset severely limits people in their relationships, challenges, obstacles and encounters as they will tend to only complete tasks with their natural talent. They do not believe in learning and enhancing abilities because they have the mentality of if they were not capable of it then practicing further won't develop it and they do not handle failure very well. The growth mindset is just the opposite in that people actively seek to learn and risk failure to enhance their abilities.
2. Connection To ENT 3003
• This book really helped with not being afraid to fail. Conducting interviews of random people will scare people, including me, as no one wants to fail and experience embarrassment. Learning about the growth mindset and knowing it is ok to fail and learn from failure will help anyone succeed in this course. It helps to develop the positive, tenacious mentality which is required for an experience based course such as this one. 
3. Exercise Design
• I would try to develop an assignment in which I knew the majority of the class would fail such as conducting 15 interviews early on in the class. I wouldn't give points based off the success or failure but merely attempting the assignment and I would not let the students know this until afterwards. Then I would have each student answer why or why not they attempted the assignment and how did failing make them feel if they did indeed fail. Finally I would explain what the true nature of the assignment was about, explain the growth vs fixed mindset and have them write what they learned from the experience. I would do it early so they would know it's not as much about the point as the attempt, the tenacity, and the learning experience. From that point on things will get easier.
4. 'Aha' Moment
• My 'aha' moment came when she began discussing the fixed vs growth mindset in relationships in Chapter 6. Up to that point is was mainly focused on learning vs talent with children, sports, business, etc. Then it hit me these differing mindsets will become manifest and affect relationships. The fixed vs growth mindset is applicable in every aspect of life and how we think through things and solve problems. It also should make everyone want to actively try to develop the growth mindset in every situation as it will be extremely beneficial in every day life. Introspection as to which mindset we already have is the start and if necessary change will follow. It will help everyone accept and welcome failure as well as new challenges which will enhance everyone's life in the long run.

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