Mindset: Key Takeaways.

Favorite quote: “No matter what your ability is, the effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”

For a detailed summary of the mindset, book click here.

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Book summary of mindset in 3 sentences.

The message is: You can change your mindset.

Many growth-minded people didn’t even plan to go to the top. They got there as a result of doing what they love.

The fixed mindset limits achievement. It fills people’s minds with interfering thoughts, makes effort disagreeable, and leads to inferior learning strategies.

The five key takeaways from Mindset The New Psychology of Success.

How do you act when you feel depressed? Do you work harder at things in your life or do you let them go? Next time you feel low, put yourself in a growth mindset—think about learning, challenging, and confronting obstacles. Think about effort as a positive, constructive force, not as a big drag. Try it out.

Athletes with a growth mindset find success in learning and improving, not just winning. The more you can do this, the more rewarding sports will be for you—and for those who play them with you!

A no-effort relationship is a doomed relationship, not a great relationship. It takes work to communicate accurately and it takes work to expose and resolve conflicting hopes and beliefs. It doesn’t mean there is no “they lived happily ever after,” but it’s more like “they worked happily ever after.”

Watch and listen to yourself carefully when your child messes up. Remember that constructive criticism is the feedback that helps the child understand how to fix something. It’s not feedback that labels or simply excuses the child. At the end of each day, write down the constructive criticism (and the process praise) you’ve given your kids.

Sometimes we don’t want to change ourselves very much. We just want to be able to drop some pounds and keep them off. Or stop smoking. Or control our anger.

Top 10 lessons from mindset book.

“Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep on going.”

“I don’t mind losing as long as I see improvement or I feel I’ve done as well as I possibly could.”

“This is something I know for a fact: You have to work hardest for the things you love most.”

“True self-confidence is “the courage to be open—to welcome change and new ideas regardless of their source.”

Real self-confidence is not reflected in a title, an expensive suit, a fancy car, or a series of acquisitions. It is reflected in your mindset: your readiness to grow.”

“Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It’s about seeing things in a new way.

“it’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.”

“Genius is not enough; we need to get the job done.”

“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are when you could be getting better?”

“effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.”

Action steps from mindset book.

• You can do things differently, but the important parts of who you are can’t really be changed.

• You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are.

• Think about someone you know who is skilled in the growth mindset—someone who understands that important qualities can be cultivated. Think about the ways they confront obstacles. Think about the things they do to stretch themselves. What are some ways you might like to change or stretch yourself?

• Is there something in your past that you think measured you? A test score? A dishonest or callous action? Being fired from a job? Being rejected? Focus on that thing. Feel all the emotions that go with it. Now put it in a growth mindset perspective. Look honestly at your role in it, but understand that it doesn’t define your intelligence or personality. Instead, ask: What did I (or can I) learn from that experience? How can I use it as a basis for growth? Carry that with you instead.

• Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but were afraid you weren’t good at? Make a plan to do it.

• Are there sports you always assumed you’re bad at? Well, maybe you are, but then maybe you aren’t. It’s not something you can know until you’ve put in a lot of effort. Some of the world’s best athletes didn’t start out being that hot. If you have a passion for a sport, put in the effort and see.

• Are you in a fixed mindset or growth mindset workplace? Do you feel people are just judging you or are they helping you develop? Maybe you could try making it a more growth[1]mindset place, starting with yourself. Are there ways you could be less defensive about your mistakes? Could you profit more from the feedback you get? Are there ways you can create more learning experiences for yourself?

• Picture your ideal love relationship. Does it involve perfect compatibility—no disagreements, no compromises, no hard work? Please think again. In every relationship, issues arise. Try to see them from a growth mindset: Problems can be a vehicle for developing greater understanding and intimacy. Allow your partner to air his or her differences, listen carefully, and discuss them in a patient and caring manner. You may be surprised at the closeness this creates.

• Parents often set goals their children can work toward. Remember that having innate talent is not a goal. Expanding skills and knowledge is. Pay careful attention to the goals you set for your children.

• It’s for you to decide whether change is right for you now. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Either way, keep the growth mindset in your thoughts. Then, when you bump up against obstacles, you can turn to them. It will always be there for you, showing you a path into the future.

Thank you for your time.