Carol Dweck’s research into how people can be encouraged to develop their talents and abilities has profoundly influenced education, parenting and coaching.

FIXED MINDSET

Some people believe that intelligence is static, leading to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to avoid challenges, give up easily, see effort as fruitless or worse, ignore useful negative feedback and feel threatened by the success of others. As a result they may plateau early and achieve less than their full potential. All this confirms a deterministic world view.

GROWTH MINDSET

Others believe that intelligence can be developed, leading to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others. As a result they reach ever higher levels of achievement. This gives them a greater sense of free will.