In the book Mindset, author Carol Dweck introduces us to the two types of mindsets people tend to operate with - Fixed and Growth.

If you come with a fixed mindset, you see intelligence as static where you are always operating with a desire to look smart in front of others.

On the other hand, people with a growth mindset understand that intelligence and capability are not static and that they can be developed. When you operate with a growth mindset, you operate with the faith and confidence that you can learn and grow in life. If anyone were to ask you do you come with a fixed or a growth mindset, your instinct would always be to say - "I come with a growth mindset!”

People with a growth mindset understand that intelligence and capability are not static and that they can be developed. When you operate with a growth mindset, you operate with the faith and confidence that you can learn and grow in life.

If you really want to figure out your default mindset, here are five cues for you.

• Do you embrace challenges instead of avoiding them? If you come across a challenge, is your thinking,” this is difficult; how can anyone take this up?” OR is it ” Wow, I know this is difficult, but I’d love to try it out.”
  
  
• Do you give up at the first instance of an obstacle, setback or do you persist in the face of all the challenges you encounter? Do you feel energized in the face of a challenge, or do you feel deflated?
  
  
• Do you see your effort as something to complete a task and nothing more? OR do you see your effort as your path to self-improvement and mastery? Do you approach any work you do as a tick in the box or as something valuable you get to do?
  
  
• Do you tend to get defensive when someone criticizes you, or do you feel comfortable with criticism knowing that it could be helpful for your learning and growth?
  
  
• Do you feel threatened by the success of others, or do you find lessons and inspiration in the success of others?
  
  

Give yourself an honest assessment of each of the questions listed here. Then, you will know if you are operating with a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

If you find yourself admitting silently to yourself that you are showing up with a fixed mindset, don’t despair. You are not alone. Almost everyone operates with some degree of a fixed mindset in different situations. However, the cues I describe above could help trigger you to challenge yourself to operate more deliberately with a growth mindset.

When you operate with a growth mindset, you strive to be a better person.

Also read: It's ok to be wrong

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