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Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D | Key Takeaways, Analysis & Review: The New Psychology of Success
Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D | Key Takeaways, Analysis & Review The New Psychology of Success, written by psychology researcher Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., uncovers the differences between two core mindsets, the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. Through analysis of research and real-life accounts, Dweck examines the two mindsets and discusses why one, the growth mindset, tends to lead to a more successful and fulfilling life.
This companion to Mindset Overview of the book Important People Key Takeaways Analysis of Key Takeaways and much more!
This companion to Mindset Overview of the book Important People Key Takeaways Analysis of Key Takeaways and much more!
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 2, 2020
Thinking about parts we want to change about ourselves, we can stumble upon the obstacle that we are thinking that these parts are fixed and we cannot do anything about it. This book shows, with parts of research, that when we are in the growth mindset, we continue to develop. Because we want to learn and improve ourselves and that everything can be changed if we believe so.
What is the difference between a 'fixed' mindset and a 'growth' mindset? This book provides the answers for you!
Really love that there are a lot of examples inside the book of different situations and different disciplines. Anyone who wants to grow or wants to learn more about fixed and changeable traits can take something away from this book. It talks about students, coaches, teachers, sports, business etc. A lot of different fields are adressed here to show differences in mindset. It's easily readible and for just anyone who wants to change.
What is the difference between a 'fixed' mindset and a 'growth' mindset? This book provides the answers for you!
Really love that there are a lot of examples inside the book of different situations and different disciplines. Anyone who wants to grow or wants to learn more about fixed and changeable traits can take something away from this book. It talks about students, coaches, teachers, sports, business etc. A lot of different fields are adressed here to show differences in mindset. It's easily readible and for just anyone who wants to change.
June 28, 2025
3.5 - read this book in prep for dentistry lmao (for me no one else read)
i read only the parts that are interesting to me
the book is basically saying ina fee 2 types of ppl, ppl w the fixed mindset w the growth mindset.
fixed - ppl who see academic challenges as something to PROVE that theyre smart
growth - ppl who see academic challenges as a learning opportunity.
a7s its really easy to be like oh akeed im the growth mindset cuz thats the 'good' one and ppl who have growth mindsets succeed. bas i think most ppl are fixed mindset & they wont admit it.
the main diff btwn them in my eyes is that how you emotionally respond to failure. not about whether or not u come out on top at the end, more of how you respond to self criticism.
like for ex; rn im listening to the dental doctors saying 'oh fe ppl who r just good at hand skills and fe ppl who are just bad'. if you discover ina your bad at hand skills, or if u dont get it on the first 10 tries, what do you think that says about u.
i think a majority of ppl would feel bad ina theyre just not as good at drawing or 'hand skills' and then try their best to overcome it. that to me is STILL fixed mindset.
a7s to truly change into the "growth mindset" you need to -
1. acknowledge that u did bad in this thing
2. and force ur brain not to associate it w u being bad at this thing + not let it define ur inherent ability
3. think; what specifically am i sucking at, + build a plan on how to improve
4. repeat + dont let it eat u alive
a7s when u actually think critically on what thought + feelings u have after every 'failure' you realize ina 90% of ppl haven't achieved a full 'growth' mindset.
and i think its esp for ppl who are in high demanding healthcare specialties bc to get here u've been hyped up as 'smart' until at least university. so for 12 school years every year was "proof" that ur smart. and u getting accepted is 'PROOF" that you're gifted + smart. fa when u first encounter difficulty it "PROVES' that ur not as smart as u think. and even when you try harder and harder, you're still only doing that to try and prove urself
i read only the parts that are interesting to me
the book is basically saying ina fee 2 types of ppl, ppl w the fixed mindset w the growth mindset.
fixed - ppl who see academic challenges as something to PROVE that theyre smart
growth - ppl who see academic challenges as a learning opportunity.
a7s its really easy to be like oh akeed im the growth mindset cuz thats the 'good' one and ppl who have growth mindsets succeed. bas i think most ppl are fixed mindset & they wont admit it.
the main diff btwn them in my eyes is that how you emotionally respond to failure. not about whether or not u come out on top at the end, more of how you respond to self criticism.
like for ex; rn im listening to the dental doctors saying 'oh fe ppl who r just good at hand skills and fe ppl who are just bad'. if you discover ina your bad at hand skills, or if u dont get it on the first 10 tries, what do you think that says about u.
i think a majority of ppl would feel bad ina theyre just not as good at drawing or 'hand skills' and then try their best to overcome it. that to me is STILL fixed mindset.
a7s to truly change into the "growth mindset" you need to -
1. acknowledge that u did bad in this thing
2. and force ur brain not to associate it w u being bad at this thing + not let it define ur inherent ability
3. think; what specifically am i sucking at, + build a plan on how to improve
4. repeat + dont let it eat u alive
a7s when u actually think critically on what thought + feelings u have after every 'failure' you realize ina 90% of ppl haven't achieved a full 'growth' mindset.
and i think its esp for ppl who are in high demanding healthcare specialties bc to get here u've been hyped up as 'smart' until at least university. so for 12 school years every year was "proof" that ur smart. and u getting accepted is 'PROOF" that you're gifted + smart. fa when u first encounter difficulty it "PROVES' that ur not as smart as u think. and even when you try harder and harder, you're still only doing that to try and prove urself
August 21, 2021
Great read! Took me some time to get started, but I am happy I had this book with me on my holiday in France. Dweck helps you to reflect on your 'persona' - your thoughts, your behavior, your dealing with failures. She encourages you to avoid being fooled by your fixed mindset. She uses anecdotes and real life examples to describe the growth vs fixed mindsets. A MUST read for teachers, educators, parents - interacting with children/scholars especially vulnerable to the feeling of 'being judged all the time' - and for anyone who is dealing with insecurities or self-doubts, needing a little 'push' to move forward and face their challenges/reach their goals.
December 14, 2015
Not a good summary of the book. It appears as if the author has not really understood the book. The section of important points did not contain some of the most important ones for me. The authors particularly did also not make the connections that are so important in the actual book. Do not waste your time with this book.
February 22, 2016
I'm glad I read these key takeaways. It saved a lot's of time on reading yet another retrospective, wishful thinking, cherrypicked and overhyped "science book".
November 1, 2020
Mindset, by Carol Dweck who is a psychologist at Stanford University, is underwhelming on facts but worthwhile as an exploration to see What If that was true. She claims that studies have shown that people can be grouped into two types: those who believe that their basic qualities (meaning their abilities, skills and aspects of their personality/character) are set in stone, versus those who believe these are things that can be worked on and improved. Just this one belief has a dramatic impact on your views about yourself and what you attempt to do. To elaborate, the Fixed mindset means that you've trained yourself to repeatedly validate your current beliefs about your abilities. So anything that shows you up as failing becomes a harsh judgment call on them and hence best avoided. With a Growth mindset, you are able to separate specific incidents of failure from larger beliefs about yourself. This lets you step out of your comfort zone and attempt ambitious things.
I was skeptical that people can bracketed neatly into two types. So I did some additional reading and was not surprised to learn that both her claims (that people can be grouped into two mindsets, and that this is of consequence) are contested by other scientists. Be that as it may, among her numerous examples it's hard to deny that there are some you'd have experienced yourself or recognized in others. So the book does pass the sniff test of human experience even if not the rigor of academic studies and goads you into following the author along. Further, many of her examples concern children and adolescents, when it's quite common for individuals to display aspects of the Fixed mindset due to a variety of reasons (which are thoroughly explored in the book).
Dweck has a lot of personal and professional experience to draw from - having done studies, workshops, training sessions and the like over decades. And she is as perceptive as a writer in identifying fleeting emotions or suppressed feelings. In fact I thought the best part of the book was the last few pages of the last chapter, where she identifies common patterns of giving up on things and suggests ways to overcome them. That needs to be called out because there's also a large section in the middle covering corporate life and relationships where the book seems to be skating on thin ice. The chapters on sports and artistic abilities are far more believable, and they do correspond to other books like Peak, or Talent is Overrated.
On the whole, I'd say only the first 2-3 chapters and the last are worth a read and the rest can be skimmed. But considering that Dweck is making a fairly strong claim about core aspects of one's identity, I wouldn't fault her too much for trying to pile up as much material as possible in her attempt to persuade.
I was skeptical that people can bracketed neatly into two types. So I did some additional reading and was not surprised to learn that both her claims (that people can be grouped into two mindsets, and that this is of consequence) are contested by other scientists. Be that as it may, among her numerous examples it's hard to deny that there are some you'd have experienced yourself or recognized in others. So the book does pass the sniff test of human experience even if not the rigor of academic studies and goads you into following the author along. Further, many of her examples concern children and adolescents, when it's quite common for individuals to display aspects of the Fixed mindset due to a variety of reasons (which are thoroughly explored in the book).
Dweck has a lot of personal and professional experience to draw from - having done studies, workshops, training sessions and the like over decades. And she is as perceptive as a writer in identifying fleeting emotions or suppressed feelings. In fact I thought the best part of the book was the last few pages of the last chapter, where she identifies common patterns of giving up on things and suggests ways to overcome them. That needs to be called out because there's also a large section in the middle covering corporate life and relationships where the book seems to be skating on thin ice. The chapters on sports and artistic abilities are far more believable, and they do correspond to other books like Peak, or Talent is Overrated.
On the whole, I'd say only the first 2-3 chapters and the last are worth a read and the rest can be skimmed. But considering that Dweck is making a fairly strong claim about core aspects of one's identity, I wouldn't fault her too much for trying to pile up as much material as possible in her attempt to persuade.
July 15, 2025
After asking the internet for the best self-help books based on science—not silly secrets—Mindset (even though it was released more than a decade ago) stood out as one of the very best. According to many sources, this book has been some kind of bible for CEOs and teachers all over the U.S., so I thought it was worth the read.
It’s a 322-page book that honestly could have been 200. The first chapters repeat the same concepts over and over, making me wonder if there was something hidden behind all the talk about “fixed” and “growth” mindsets. Then, when it moves to corporate applications, it becomes a series of outdated examples that I mostly skipped.
The final sections focus on schools and families, which I found very useful and even led me to explore the author’s website.
In conclusion: it’s a good book to check whether you have a fixed or growth mindset, or if you’re raising a child in either of those ways—and how to shift toward the better option. Worth reading, but not worth the length
It’s a 322-page book that honestly could have been 200. The first chapters repeat the same concepts over and over, making me wonder if there was something hidden behind all the talk about “fixed” and “growth” mindsets. Then, when it moves to corporate applications, it becomes a series of outdated examples that I mostly skipped.
The final sections focus on schools and families, which I found very useful and even led me to explore the author’s website.
In conclusion: it’s a good book to check whether you have a fixed or growth mindset, or if you’re raising a child in either of those ways—and how to shift toward the better option. Worth reading, but not worth the length
December 29, 2020
What makes one company better than another? What leads to success?
According to Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, the company's leader is key.
The leader is not a super-ego. The leader needs to be humble, must strive to learn more each day, and must acknowledge failure (even their own). A good leader does not deem themselves superior.
Fixed mindset leaders don't care about the lesser employees of their company, even though they are the backbone. These leaders become bullies and brutal dictators who abuse those working closest to them.
Growth mindset leaders yield a company atmosphere that is entirely different. They foster creativity and culture, reward teamwork, and maintain morale. They want their employees to improve their skillset.
One has to consider that even if their job title indicates they are a leader, not every CEO, boss or manager is truly a leader. If they do not have a growth mindset, they will likely be looked upon as someone who does not lead well.
This book had me examining my current and past employment. It is relatively easy to discern who is a leader and who is a "wanna be" when I consider the traits laid out by Dweck.
According to Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, the company's leader is key.
The leader is not a super-ego. The leader needs to be humble, must strive to learn more each day, and must acknowledge failure (even their own). A good leader does not deem themselves superior.
Fixed mindset leaders don't care about the lesser employees of their company, even though they are the backbone. These leaders become bullies and brutal dictators who abuse those working closest to them.
Growth mindset leaders yield a company atmosphere that is entirely different. They foster creativity and culture, reward teamwork, and maintain morale. They want their employees to improve their skillset.
One has to consider that even if their job title indicates they are a leader, not every CEO, boss or manager is truly a leader. If they do not have a growth mindset, they will likely be looked upon as someone who does not lead well.
This book had me examining my current and past employment. It is relatively easy to discern who is a leader and who is a "wanna be" when I consider the traits laid out by Dweck.
January 25, 2023
Main takeaways:
- People with fixed mindset seek approval, growth mindset seek continuous development
- Fixed sees failures as disasters, growth sees as opportunities
- Abilities are set in stone for fixed
- Mindset influenced by the role models we had as children (mindset can change at any point)
- People with fixed mindset seek approval, growth mindset seek continuous development
- Fixed sees failures as disasters, growth sees as opportunities
- Abilities are set in stone for fixed
- Mindset influenced by the role models we had as children (mindset can change at any point)
November 3, 2021
Extremely valuable concept that I found directly applicable to my life. Found many ways in which a Fixed mind set has hurt my enjoyment of my life. It gave many examples of how this mind set can be applied to various parts of your life
February 23, 2022
For me this book is boring. The repetion of explanation makes me wanna skip some of the chapter. Hmm and i skipped it actually. By the time i reach the end of the chapter i stop and went right to the end of the page.
Maybe the way she explained it makes me deficient in interest.
Maybe the way she explained it makes me deficient in interest.
January 30, 2022
Just skimmed through it. Has but one message: have a learning mindset.
March 19, 2022
Just listening to this book once gave me a lot to think about and learn about my self. I want to listen and learn more.
February 12, 2025
I get it.
September 3, 2025
The key point: believe you can grow — and you will. Deep? Not really. But under the shiny label ‘growth mindset’ it became a gold mine.”
January 9, 2026
De los mejores libros que he leído.
July 12, 2020
Glad I read this instead of the whole book as the point is simple but seems endlessly hammered on through several anecdotes. Focusing on effort versus natural talent and believing one can grow and is not limited by natural abilities is the gist of it. Interesting that complimenting people on their talents may do damage by reinforcing a fixed mindset, which focuses on natural abilities over training/practice. We should judge people on their effort instead of their raw output. Also found the growth mindset applied to interpersonal relationships very helpful. People do change, and romantic relationships always require work and adaptation past the initial honeymoon phase.
April 10, 2024
opening book, cool girl
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews