How Is It That Thinking Affects Success?

If I asked you what determines success, what would your answer be? Maybe you would say it depends on a person’s talent, intelligence or education. Perhaps you think that access to good opportunities is crucial. In addition to all this, evidence indicates that your mindset is affecting success.

It sounds naive to say things such as; “If you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything.” We know that people’s circumstances and resources play a role. Nevertheless, Carol S. Dweck, a researcher with a PhD in developmental psychology, reached this conclusion.

In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, she explores how beliefs have a powerful impact on your performance. In today’s article, we will take a look at the primary arguments in this best-selling book.

How is it that thinking affects success?

Your mindset is a set of beliefs you have about yourself and how the world works. In general, your mindset is the foundation of your behavior. Therefore, what you believe in makes you act in one way or another. It will sooner or later determine what happens in your life.

Dweck reached this conclusion after observing the reactions of four-year-old children when given a challenge. The researchers gave the children the opportunity to perform a simple puzzle or a more difficult one.

Some of the kids chose the easy puzzle, while others accepted the challenge. Why? What determined how they made their decision?

In the end, the difference lay not in their abilities, but in their thinking and basic beliefs instead. Therefore, Dweck identified two concepts that determine people’s development and success: Fixed thinking and growth thinking.

Fixed mindset

People with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence is not changeable, either consciously or unconsciously. They believe that one is born with a certain degree of intellect and that one’s talents and qualities are stable and impossible to change. This mindset leads to very specific types of behavior:

• They are constantly trying to prove themselves and seem intelligent and qualified.
• They avoid challenges at all costs because defeat would mean they are not competent.
• They go on the defensive when challenges arise, and quickly give up challenging tasks.
• They believe that it is basically useless to make an effort and that defeat is unacceptable. They are perfectionists.
• They find other people’s success and constructive criticism threatening.

Growth thinking

On the other hand, people with a growth mindset will think that you can develop your talents and abilities with hard work and effort. Although they understand that everyone has to start somewhere, they believe that what actually matters is what you do with what you have. This mentality leads to the following behaviors:

• They feel enthusiastic about learning, growing and spreading their horizons.
• They accept challenges and grow with them. They see challenges as opportunities for improvement.
• They consider defeat as part of their journey. Rather than letting challenges get in the way, they are persevering.
• They regard effort as the only way to master rather than a proof of inability.
• They learn from constructive criticism and are inspired by other people’s success.

Your mindset affects success: Reach your maximum potential

It is clear that your mindset and the attitudes that stem from this mindset determine what you will be able to achieve. People who have a fixed mindset believe that their qualities are innate and unchanging. That means they are not striving to improve.

According to Dweck’s theory, people who have a growth mindset that focuses on effort and perseverance will continue to grow until they reach their potential.

If you have a growth mindset, you will embrace challenges, learn from your mistakes, and redirect your life. You will be able to expand and reach your potential. On the other hand  , a fixed mindset will cause you to establish yourself on a certain level. You will never make progress because you are afraid of defeat.

Fortunately, you have the power to decide what kind of mindset you want. Stop praising yourself for set qualities and personality. Instead, congratulate yourself on your efforts, resilience, and perseverance. 

After all, defeat is sometimes the first step on the road to reaching your maximum potential.