Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, has found that people generally exhibit what she calls either “growth mindsets” or “fixed mindsets.”
Those with growth mindsets believe they can get better at what they do, that they have reservoirs of untapped potential. They realize that promise by working hard and making incremental improvements over time, whether they are athletes, or writers, or surgeons.
Those with fixed mindsets, however, believe they can only go as far as their natural abilities will take them. They think talent, rather than hard work, is the fundamental component of success. They are often scared to challenge themselves because they are terribly afraid of failure—which, in their minds, is an indictment of their abilities rather than an opportunity to learn and do better next time.
Leadership is not the province of the select few; you can work at it, and you can get better.
Posted on February 7, 2011
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