7.6 That's Not What I Meant

"The Ship of Fools" (1500) by Hieronymous Bosch

Dweck offers many examples of ways that people have misunderstood what "growth mindset" means.

Why do you think people so often misinterpret this concept?

Which of these misunderstandings do you think is probably the easiest to have?

8.1 Baby, You're No Good

"O Bottom, Thou Art Changed" (1908) by Arthur Rackham

Dweck reports that "cognitive therapy basically teaches people to rein in their extreme judgments and make them more reasonable" (225).  She suggests that people who engage in cognitive therapy may realize that they have a greater potential to develop skills that they had previously dismissed or disregarded as beyond their capacity.

Can you think of a skill, activity, or area of study that you have dismissed as being beyond your capacity that might warrant a second look?  Are there any skills, activities or areas of study that you once dreamed of developing or that you spent some time on but later abandoned--perhaps prematurely--because you decided you lacked the necessary talent? Consider whether your measure of success in this endeavor involves improving your performance or being better than other people. Consider whether the process of improving might itself be valuable or enjoyable independent of any particular achievement that could demonstrate your superiority to others. Can you enjoy an activity that you are, at least initially, "bad" at?

8.2 Please Revise

"Momus Criticizes the Gods' Creations" (1561) Meerten Van Heemskerck

Dweck reports that one of her students was devastated by a reviewer's 10-page, single-spaced criticism of an article she submitted for publication until she changed her attitude about the value of revision and the opportunity for improvement that 10-page work of criticism represented (234).

Have you ever received intense criticism for a paper you've worked hard on?

How did you respond?

From your perspective, how can teachers help students learn to value and take advantage of  criticism of their work?  

8.3 Let Me Tell You About My Weaknesses

"Basket of Bread: Rather Death than Shame" (1945) by Salvador Dali

Dweck describes a hypothetical quarterback who finds success at the highest level of his profession only after he reveals his insecurities to his teammates (239-240).

Have you ever found that sharing insecurities helped you succeed in a difficult endeavor?

Does sharing insecurities come more easily to you than it does to other people you know or is it more difficult for you?

What do you think accounts for the difference between people who have trouble sharing insecurities and those who do not?

Can you think of a situation in which sharing insecurities is counterproductive?

Mindset Playlist

Can you identify any songs whose lyrics reinforce some of the key concepts of Mindset?

Paste YouTube links into the comment box and explain your reasoning.

The Mindset Sandbox

"The Beach at Honfleux" by Claude Monet

Have a question or comment about Mindset that has not been addressed elsewhere on this website?

Bring it to the comment box below.

Mindset Take-Away

So you've read Mindset now. In 100 words or less, identify the part of the book the is most likely to stick with you the longest.

What's your take away?

Don't answer this question until you've finished reading the entire book.