Howdy. I would like to comment on Mindset.
In the book Mindset by Carol Dweck she explains the two different mindsets of the human brain. There is the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. When I began the book I was excited to learn what type of mindset I had I was ready to learn more about myself. However, as I read on I found that Dweck was just trying to sell the growth mindset and discourage the fixed mindset. The fixed mindset is portrayed as stubborn and closed-minded while the growth mindset is connected to success and praise. It was the same thing over and over again. There would be a story about a powerful CEO, or a famous athlete, with a fixed mindset that was on top of their game, but then they were presented with a challenge they had never experienced before, they failed and then spent the rest of their lives in regret. Then immediately after there would be a story about the same thing happening to a CEO, or athlete, with a growth mindset, but they would overcome the challenge and continue to have success. This happened throughout the entire book. Fixed mindset is bad. Growth mindset is good. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
This, as you can imagine, got frustrating after a while.
Now, don't get me wrong this book did actually help me personally because it has made me more aware of the way I think and the way others think. Now I have a better understanding was to maybe why I haven't overcome certain obstacles in my life yet. And I have a better understanding of my loved ones, but this book unfortunately did not supply me with life changing information. This book could definitely be more beneficial to people if the author actually decided to ever discuss the disadvantages of the growth mindset and the advantages of the fixed mindset, but she doesn't.
To conclude, I am glad that I have read this book because I believe it will help me in the future; however I do not think this is something to live by. I feel that, and my book club members will agree, a person needs to have a balance of the two mindsets.
Thank you for your time.
I agree with you completely about her bias toward her idea of a growth mindset. She preaches it as if it were her religion and she speaks of no alternative. It was a struggle to continue to read story after story hoping to see another side. She never actually broke from her opinion and sometimes seemed quite unrealistic in her claims. I don't mean to be negative but some of her scenarios seemed impossible for some people. It does have a powerful message to keep moving forward, but I am disappointed that this woman just flaunted her idea with no opposition.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your last line especially. Almost all good authors address the counter argument, but she doesn't. I guess she shouldn't consider her a good author then. I mean that with no disrespect, but come on, this lady could have done a better job with this book. Also thank you for taking your time to both read and respond to me post.
DeleteLast year I had to read this as summer homework for AP psychology, and it wasn't till now that I actually notice how biased the author is. It was probably because I was in a rush to finish the book before school started that I didn't catch how she constantly tries to persuade you to change to a growth mindset. It was only when I heard people complaining about how she continuously praises it that I realized she really wants people to have the same opinion as her. With the author praising it so much I was persuaded to think that having the growth mindset was the best way to succeed, but now I do think that she should have discussed the benefits of the fixed mindset and the disadvantages of the growth mindset so the book can be more helpful for people.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Nia, I've done the same with other books. You don't always realize what exactly it is you're reading the first time, and that's okay. The important thing is that you see it now (: . And yes, your last sentence is completely true. Thank you for reading and commenting on my post.
DeleteAriel and Sarah, can you give me some advantages to the fixed mindset? I'd really like to know. From my perspective, I don't see where there would be any advantages.
ReplyDeleteTo start off, with the fixed mindset you know your limits. For example, let's say that a person with absolutely no singing ability tries to become the next famous pop star. They try and try and try (this perseverance is characteristic of the growth mindset), but they never succeed. Now if they continue with the growth mindset, they will be let down for the rest of their life (in this area of their life). However if they adopt the fixed mindset here, then they will accept they cannot sing and move on to something else.
DeleteIn the book the author preaches, "If you keep trying at something, no matter what it is, then you will be successful". And that is not true. There are simply some things people can't do, and they need to accept that and find something that they are good at. We all need a balance of both mindsets. Just like in everything else in life, you cannot have so much of one thing because it is bad for you. You cannot have completely one mindset because it will be bad to your mental health.
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