What is the key factor behind academic success: innate intelligence or effort? Is it a person’s mindset or their environment that shapes the outcome? Such questions have long been debated by many scholars. To address this issue effectively, psychologist Carol S. Dweck and her research team conducted extensive studies on how several psychological strategies influence achievement. According to Dweck, individuals should adopt a growth mindset, the belief that a person’s capacities and talents can be improved over time, as it encourages continuous improvement through effort and motivates them to seek feedback and overcome difficult circumstances.

In order to fully understand the context and the arguments that follow, the concept of fixed mindset and growth mindset should be conceptualized. Fixed mindset, Dweck states, is an implicit belief emphasizing that “intelligence is a fixed trait,”(Dweck 2006) which leads individuals to avoid challenges and fear mistakes because they see their abilities as unchangeable. In contrast, a growth mindset is the understanding that “intelligence is malleable and can be developed through education and hard work” (Dweck 2006). These contrasting mindsets turn out to show polar opposite results in various scenarios.

Growth mindset is a major driving force in academic achievement since it motivates persistent improvement through effort. Some might argue that a fixed mindset is more beneficial, as this way of thinking may encourage people to specialize deeply in one domain, focusing on honing their strengths rather than constantly experimenting or changing direction (Hattie 2017). Yet, what if one fails?A fixed mindset confines people to believing their abilities are permanent, which leaves little space for growth or recovery. On the other hand, of the results demonstrated in Dweck’s research indicated that, compared to students with a fixed mindset, those with a growth mindset “held hard work in high regard, believing that the more you labored at something, the better you would become at it” (Dweck 2006). This is because, by adopting such a belief, they get to perceive learning not merely as a tool to achieve good grades in school but as an opportunity to broaden their knowledge. Thus, a growth mindset is more motivative than a fixed mindset in the long term.

Dweck’s argument seems plausible as a growth mindset allows individuals to seek feedback and overcome difficulties. Accepting criticism and feedback is critical when it comes to genuine development and it often teaches individuals valuable life lessons. Fittingly, it has been proven by a scholarly study that a cohort of workers “with a growth mindset s[aw] themselves as works-in-progress and underst[ood] that they need feedback to improve” (Dweck 2006). In contrast, having a fixed goal often engenders anxious thoughts and limits one’s willingness to grow, as this group was “less likely to seek or welcome feedback” (Dweck 2006). Thus, adopting a growth mindset promotes constant self-improvement in addition to assisting people in accepting constructive criticism.

By Jooha Chung