Author: Hannah Gantt, LPCC
The topic of a growth vs. a fixed mindset has been trendy in the world of mental health recently. Stanford professor Carol Dweck, author of the novel Mindset: The New Psychology of Success describes a growth mindset as "the belief that your abilities can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and persistence." Recent studies show that having a growth mindset has been linked to higher levels of resiliency and heightened neuroplasticity. When setting powerful intentions and focusing on growth during online ketamine therapy sessions, you can maximize the outcomes.
Conversely, a fixed mindset is the belief that abilities are static and unchanging. Before we talk about the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, it's important to remember that having a fixed mindset is not inherently bad, nor is it unchangeable (one could say - it's not fixed!).
A growth mindset is found to be more effective than a fixed mindset because it allows you to learn from failure and take on challenges with confidence. It also helps you to see yourself as resourceful rather than helpless when facing difficult tasks or situations.
According to research by Carol Dweck, people with a growth mindset believe that the brain functions like a muscle -- the more you use it, the stronger it gets.
The idea is that your intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and hard work, rather than being fixed at birth. The brain is malleable, meaning it can change and grow over time as we learn new things or acquire new skills. To get good at a new skill, you must practice it.
You might think: "I'm not good at math" or "I don't have any musical talent." But those types of thoughts are limiting beliefs -- they prevent us from reaching our full potential because they tell us what we cannot do instead of focusing on our strengths or potential strengths instead.
With a growth mindset, you're able to overcome setbacks because you haven't given up on yourself or your potential for improvement. You learn from yours and others' mistakes -- and then use this knowledge to improve your performance next time around.
With a fixed mindset, people tend to become discouraged when they make a mistake or fail at something because they see it as an indication that they are not good enough at whatever activity they were trying (e.g., "I'm not smart enough"). With a growth mindset, however, people don't feel like failures, but rather see them as opportunities where they can grow through learning strategies that work better than others in certain situations (e.g., "I know what didn't work last time; next time I'll try something different").
Dweck says that with a growth mindset, "effort is what leads to success and happiness." But what does that mean? It means that success and happiness are not just about achieving results. Commitment to the process and regular growth is hard, but it's worth it!
"A person who has a growth mind-set believes that their most basic qualities -- their intelligence, talents, personality and even character -- can be developed through effort," writes Dweck in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success .
A growth mindset is not about being perfect. It's about being able to learn from mistakes and improve, which is the opposite of a fixed mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you believe that your abilities are set in stone and can't be changed. With a growth mindset, however, no matter how much knowledge or experience you have accumulated thus far in life -- whether it be good or bad -- there will always be room for improvement.
The key difference between these two mindsets lies within their respective approaches toward failure: while people with fixed mindsets view failure as evidence that they lack ability altogether (and thus should give up), those with growth mindsets see failure as an opportunity to learn something new and improve themselves over time
With a fixed mindset, you believe your intelligence or talent is static and unchanging. This means that you'll often avoid challenges out of fear of being wrong or looking dumb, which stifles growth and prevents you from learning from mistakes.
With a growth mindset, on the other hand, you see yourself as a work in progress--and this breeds curiosity and an eagerness to learn new things.
A growth mindset is about learning and improving. It's about being willing to take on challenges, even if you're not sure of your abilities. It's about being willing to learn from your mistakes, rather than getting stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and giving up at the first sign of difficulty or failure.
Growth mindsets are also about being open to new ideas and experiences; they encourage us to try new things without worrying that we might fail--and as long as we keep trying, we'll eventually succeed! When you fail, don't let it stop you from trying again. Failure is a natural part of the learning process and it's important not to give up on yourself or your potential for improvement.
The most important thing is not giving up on the things that matter to you--your dreams and goals are worth fighting for!
How does at-home ketamine therapy work? If you're interested in fostering more positive thought patterns around how you view yourself and the world around you, ketamine therapy may be a helpful healing modality for you. Recent studies indicate that ketamine therapy may increase levels of neuroplasticity, which is essentially the brain's process of recognizing new thought patterns and rewriting old narratives. What is the cost of ketamine treatment or how much does ketamine therapy cost?
If you're interested in ketamine therapy, take our two minute assessment to see if this treatment is right for you and get started on enhancing your own growth mindset!
