Question

Can you think of a time you faced an important opportunity or challenge with a fixed mindset? What were your thoughts and worries—about your abilities? about other people’s judgments? about the possibility of failure? Describe them vividly. OR Is there someone in your life (a boss, mate, friend, child) with a fixed mindset—someone who won’t take risks, who can’t admit mistakes, who falls apart or gets defensive after setbacks? Do you understand that person better now? 220 240 word discussion no plagiarism

Answer 1

One of the important factors that determine whether individuals succeed or fail in life is their mindset because our attitude determines the altitude of our destination. The fixed mindset was first proposed by Stanford professor Carol Dweck. In a fixed mindset, there will not be a change or growth in the desired direction of the person's character, creativity, or intelligence. Whatever success they achieve is just the confirmation of their existing, fixed, and inherent capabilities. They fear and tend to avoid criticisms, and will hesitate to take up challenges in their life and .they lack a positive growth mindset.

Example from real life

One of my friends Mary Luckose is having a fixed mindset. She wants everybody to accept her as smart. She is very studious but only studies the relevant textbooks to study.and is reluctant to refer to other books or even hesitate to go to the library. she thinks that it will waste her valuable time. In her sense, instead of referring other books in her sense, it is better to learn by heart the lessons in the textbook. So during the examination, if there is a direct question from the lessons she will answer it properly by just reproducing what she had learned by heart. If a question is about concept check or a practical side question she feels it difficult to answer. She will not even attend that questions because of the fear that, if anything she has written is wrong it will affect her reputation as a clever student or the teacher reading it will have a bad impression about her. She was not ready to discuss with her friends about the lessons, or receive any advice from the teachers or friends. Even a small constructive criticism will frustrate her a lot, very hostile to discuss even the minor discrepancies in her habit or behavior.

Her fixed mindset made her neglect useful feedbacks from others, relating to her study.due to her deterministic view of life. She was not recognizing that this mindset is preventing her from accepting challenges and leading her to give up the obstacles in her life. Lack of her freewill blocked her from higher levels of achievement and led to great stress in life. She was not interested in experiencing a new situation in her life or accept her failures.and always argued to defend her attitude often using defense mechanisms to protect her anxiety. and to rationalize her character.

As my friend I tried a lot to change her. But she is very reluctant to accept any advice. I was at a time afraid that it may lead to any psychological disorders like depression or suicidal tendency so when I met her parents once I shared my anxiety with them.They also agreed with me because they have identified her attitude and were thinking about it seriously. Then they took her counseling for six months. The counselor has now changed her mindset a lot.

Now she has recognized her fixed mindset tendency and is conscious about the factors what led her to failure. Now she is having a growth mindset,and accepts failure as a learning experience. She understood that challenges and obstacles are providing a chance to do it and shows a tendency to embrace challenges.Now she obtained distinction for her last examination.