Pandemic Book Recommendation #11: Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

Yesterday I recommended the book Grit and shared my definition of fortitude: grit plus a growth mindset. Today’s book recommendation is essentially part 2. Like Grit, Mindset is a popular recast of a lifetime of scholarship from Carol S. Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford.  

Her premise is quite simple and not very earth-shattering when taken at surface level. For those who are “fixed,” it is transformative. People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities are just that. They are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset, who believe that skills can be developed. “I’m not smart enough,” or “I’m not good enough,” becomes the mantra of the fixed. This attitude can be found in just about any aspect of life from athletics to academics to parenting. Dweck argues that it is possible for people to decide they can accomplish that which seemed impossible – if they change their attitude.  Through determination and hard work, students can develop a love of learning and succeed, parents can figure out how to homeschool, and people who are in quarantine can, indeed, stay put.

The combined power of grit and a growth mindset can provide the fortitude necessary to persevere through this pandemic. We can remind ourselves that we can and will get through this, and we can find new ways every day to grow in the process.

What opportunities does this time of pandemic offer you to develop a growth mindset, and how can grit help you pursue them?