Do You Have a Growth Mindset

You aren't born with talent and ability; they develop over time (with the right mindset).

The world is changing faster than ever.

Not that long ago, we were told that we could go to college, learn everything we need to work at a company and retire a few decades later.

That no longer exists.

To set up today’s main topic, I’d ask you: How does this make you feel?

A) Threatened by change, and concerned that you might pick the wrong profession?
B) Not really concerned. Seems like an opportunity to evolve.

You might already see where I’m going with this.

If you feel threatened, it might be a sign that you haven’t been exposed to the idea of a growth mindset.

If you’re not worried about these inevitable changes, it probably means you already have one.

Today we’re going to learn the difference between fixed and growth mindsets, and how you can work towards the latter.

Why Should You Care?

Whether you’re just entering the workforce or looking to land your next job, you'll likely encounter a lot of challenges and setbacks along the way.

You'll need to adapt to new environments, learn new skills, and navigate impossible situations.

Having a growth mindset is almost like a hacking human resiliency, and can also help you stay motivated when things get tough.

What is a Fixed Mindset?

A fixed mindset is the belief that your abilities, intelligence, and talents can’t be changed.

Basically, you’re either naturally good at something, or you aren’t.

People having a fixed mindset tend to:

• Avoid challenges and view them as a threat to their self-esteem.

• See failure as evidence of their limitations and give up easily.

• Focus on the end result and view learning as a means to an end.

If this describes you, fear not. You can change this way of thinking.

And I’d argue doing so is a requirement to stay relevant in the future.

What is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset is a belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, dedication, and learning.

People with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.

They embrace the idea that failure is an essential part of the learning process and use it as a chance to improve.

In Growth-Mindset land, mistakes are simply temporary setbacks.

Signals to help us iterate and improve.

The goal should be to train yourself to approach life through this lens.

Adam Grant summarizes the benefits well:

Adam Grant @AdamMGrant

Impostor syndrome: “I don't know what I'm doing. It's only a matter of time until everyone finds out." Growth mindset: "I don't know what I'm doing yet. It's only a matter of time until I figure it out." The highest form of self-confidence is believing in your ability to learn.

Two Completely Different Worlds

Here are a few common examples of someone with a growth mindset, and how they defer from those with fixed mindsets.

• Cultivating a love for learning: People with a growth mindset have a passion for learning and enjoy the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills, while people with a fixed mindset tend to focus on the end result and view learning as a means to an end.

• Embracing challenges and new experiences: People with a growth mindset are open to new experiences and challenges, while people with a fixed mindset tend to stick to what they know and avoid trying new things.

• Using positive self-talk: People with a growth mindset use positive self-talk to motivate themselves and stay focused on their goals, while people with a fixed mindset tend to be critical of themselves and focus on their weaknesses.

• Seeking out feedback: People with a growth mindset seek out feedback and constructive criticism to help them improve, while people with a fixed mindset tend to avoid feedback and criticism.

• Surrounding themselves with positive influences: People with a growth mindset surround themselves with positive influences and people who encourage them to learn and grow, while people with a fixed mindset tend to surround themselves with negative influences and people who reinforce their limiting beliefs.

In an Interview Setting

Here are 3 common interview questions, and how companies use them to determine if you have a growth or a fixed mindset.

1. “How do you approach challenges or obstacles in your life?”

Growth Mindset: Would likely view challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement. They might embrace the challenge and see it as a chance to learn and develop new skills.

Fixed Mindset: Might view challenges as threats to their abilities and might avoid them or give up quickly.

2. “Can you tell me about a time when you failed at something?”

Growth Mindset: Would likely view failure as a natural and necessary part of the learning process.

Fixed Mindset: Might avoid talking about their failures or might view them as evidence of their limitations.

3. “How do you receive feedback from others?”

Growth Mindset: Would likely welcome feedback as an opportunity for learning and growth. They might be open to hearing criticism and suggestions for improvement and might actively seek out feedback.

Fixed Mindset: Might be defensive or dismissive of feedback, seeing it as a threat to their self-image or abilities. Demonstrating a “zero-sum” mentality.

Adopting a Growth Mindset

If you don’t already fit the “Growth Mindset” mold above, that’s ok.

It took me many years to arrive there.

Let’s take the first step together, by agreeing on one thing:

You can change the way you think about challenges, failures and setbacks.

If I can get you to do that, guess what?

You’ve already demonstrated a growth mindset.

You’re well on your way.

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Curated Job Opportunities

Airbnb Apprenticeship

I hinted at this a couple weeks ago. This Airbnb apprenticeship is open, to the devs among you.

Check it out here.

Remote Internships

• UX Research Intern at Ellucian - Apply

• Intern, Marketing & Communications at American Cancer Society - Apply

• Enterprise Business Analytics Team at Silicon Valley Bank - Apply

• Marketing Analytics Intern at American Woodmark Corporation - Apply

• Software Developer Internship at Bamboo HR - Apply

• Software Engineer Internship at Strava - Apply

• Data Science and Data Engineering Internship at CrowdStrike - Apply

• Digital Marketing Strategy at United Health Group - Apply

• Marketing Intern at Ozmo - Apply

• Social Media Internship at Park City Wolves - Apply

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Resource of the Week

On the subject of Growth Mindset, Carol Dweck literally wrote the book.

It’s broken into the following parts:

1. The Mindsets

2. Praise and Blame

3. Sports: The Mindset of a Champion

4. Business: Mindset and Leadership

5. Relationships: Mindsets in Love

6. Parents, Teachers and Coaches

7. Changing Mindsets

We’ve touched on some of these, but Carol goes into the psychology and science behind the two mindsets, and provides even more actionable insight and tips on moving towards growth.

In summary, "Mindset" is a must-read for anyone looking to achieve their full potential. I wish I had known about these concepts (and this book) back when I was in college, preparing for the “real world.”

Check out the Audible or print copy here (affiliate link).

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Have a Great Week

Start working towards having an open mind, viewing challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth, and realizing that what is sometimes perceived as natural talent is actually the result of hard work over time.

That’s it for this week. You’ve got this.

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Ways we can connect:

• Connect with me on LinkedIn

• Follow the Exponential Growth Podcast (a 5 star review would help spread the message)