Do you want to be successful? Transform your fixed mindset into a growth mindset

The opinions expressed by entrepreneurs contributors are their own.

I have been researching the principles of success for decades. First, it was for me and the growth I knew I needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Later it was to help others and to be able to explain some of the things that I intuitively knew but couldn't quite put my finger on.

Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford and studies social development, personality, and motivation. She is best known for her work on mindset and how your essential mindset determines the level of your success. His books and Talks describe the difference between "fixed" and "growth" mindsets. After reading Dweck's work, I realized the value and impact of our mindsets. Harnessing the power of a fixed mindset is key to your success.

Characteristics of a Fixed Mindset

A person with a fixed mindset believes that we are given a special hand at birth, and that's it. Our basic intelligence, skills, talents and abilities are fixed and there is nothing we can do about them. People with this mindset spend more time hiding their weaknesses and shortcomings than doing anything to reinforce them. They avoid challenges or do anything outside of their comfort zone for fear of failing or looking stupid.

They think "you either have it or you don't". That everyone's potential is predetermined and no amount of effort will change that. They spend a lot of time judging themselves and feel threatened by the success of others. They hate criticism and surround themselves with people who will never challenge them. They often give in or make excuses when the going gets tough: "I have no control over that!"

Related: Why You Must Accept Failure to Succeed in Business

Characteristics of a Growth Mindset

People with a growth mindset are different. They crave situations and interactions that make them grow and try new things. They see their natural abilities as a starting point, not the final verdict of their potential. They feel inspired by the success of others. They believe that efforts to learn and improve will pay off and that failure is something to learn from.

When the going gets tough, people with a growth mindset become determined. If they had a mantra, it would probably be "my effort and my attitude is what determines my success". They don't think we can all become geniuses, but they know we can become more competent and skilled through our work ethic.

where does it start

We adopt a fixed or growth mindset quite early in life. In class and at home, children learn to be “right” or “wrong”. More often than not, results are rewarded, not effort or progress. Many children begin to use "good" or "bad" to judge themselves and draw conclusions about their abilities and potential.

In one of Dr. Dweck's experiments with 10-year-olds, she gave the children problems to solve that were way beyond their abilities. Some of the kids (those with the fixed mindset) felt horrible and were failures because they couldn't solve problems. Some focused on other students who had done worse to feel better about themselves. Others said next time they would try to cheat.

In the same experiment, children with a growth mindset were excited about the challenge even when they couldn't find the answer. Dr. Dweck wrote that the difference is that “…in the growth mindset, failure can be a painful experience. But it doesn’t define you. It’s a problem to be faced, deal with it and learn from it."

Kids in the Fixed Mindset group thought they were just not smart enough to solve problems. The kids in the growth mindset group thought they weren't smart enough, but if they kept going, they'd find the solutions.

Related: 6 Ways to Build a Growth Mindset

Your entrepreneurial spirit

The two mentalities are not related...