It was not Carol Dweck’s intention to write a best-selling book. In her own words, the answers she discovered as a research psychologist at Stanford were both straightforward and genuinely unexpected. She was investigating why some kids overcame failure while others fell apart. Mindset: That research led to the publication of The New Psychology of Success in 2006, and the fact that it continues to sell consistently almost twenty years later says something worth considering.
The main idea is simple enough to fit on a Post-it note. When it comes to their own abilities, people typically operate from one of two beliefs. People who have a fixed mindset think that their character, intelligence, and talent are essentially fixed—you’re either good at something or you’re not. People who have a growth mindset think that these attributes can be cultivated with hard work, planning, and direction. Dweck discovered that the differences between the two groups are evident everyplace, including in corporate boardrooms, sports, classrooms, and how people respond to criticism and bounce back from failures.
The specificity of the research supporting the book makes it more engaging than a standard self-help pitch. Dweck does more than simply state that attitude is important. Through years of research with kids and adults, she demonstrates how the fixed mindset functions almost imperceptibly, influencing whether a person accepts or rejects a difficult task and whether they interpret criticism as helpful information or a judgment on their value.
Early on in the book, there is a passage about kids who quickly divided into two groups when given easy versus difficult puzzles. Those who preferred the more challenging puzzles weren’t just more self-assured. They appeared to genuinely relish the challenge. Despite its small size, that detail sticks.
It’s difficult to ignore how much of the book criticizes the way talent is discussed, particularly in educational institutions and competitive sports. Dweck contends that some forms of praise actually serve to reinforce the fixed mindset. It seems harmless, even encouraging, to tell a child they’re “so smart” after receiving a good grade.
However, the study indicates that it subtly teaches them that intelligence is something they either possess or lack, increasing the likelihood that they will steer clear of circumstances that could make them appear less intelligent. Many parents find the alternative, which emphasizes effort and strategy over natural talent, to be counterintuitive. This is likely why many readers find the chapter on parenting and teaching to be a little unsettling.
The concept of mindset is extended far beyond individuals in the book. Dweck applies it to organizations, contending that businesses with fixed-mindset cultures—where stars are shielded rather than developed and failure is concealed rather than investigated—tend to plateau in ways that aren’t always apparent until things go obviously wrong.
Although she doesn’t specifically name many businesses, the implication is fairly obvious. Over time, cultures where learning from mistakes is truly encouraged—rather than merely mentioned in mission documents—tend to yield different results.
Some readers may leave Mindset with a somewhat oversimplified understanding of the concept, viewing growth mindset as a personality trait you either already have or need to develop rather than a set of values you consistently uphold. In the revised edition, Dweck herself addressed this, introducing what she refers to as the “false growth mindset”—the act of being open to learning without actually feeling uncomfortable about it. That disclaimer seems crucial. Although the concepts presented in this book are genuinely helpful, they are not a one-time switch.
With more than 180,000 Goodreads ratings and endorsements from notable figures like Bill Gates, it is evident that Mindset has gained popularity. The reader’s actions after reading it will likely determine whether or not it alters behavior in any meaningful way. This is, appropriately, more a question of practice and effort than of innate tendencies.
