Mindsets

There are numerous interpretations of the term “mindset” within psychology, but one of the most popular and well-known is the concept of a “growth mindset.”

This term is sometimes used in contexts where “growth” is associated with “earning money” or “growing as a person,” but it’s actually broader than that, pointing at the capacity to change fundamental aspects of ourselves, rather than being locked into the shape we’re born with.

So within this realm of study, a “fixed mindset” is the assumption that cognitive and other learning-related capacities are hardwired into our brains and bodies, which sets limits that we cannot escape: we have a fixed amount of intelligence, a concrete, unmoving capacity to learn new things, and a set ability to remember things—all because we assume that’s the case.