Mindset Analysis

Saket Vissapragada
Mrs. West
AP Language and Composition
27 July 2017
Mindset Essay Psychologist Carol Dweck’s Mindset explores the two types of attitudes that are instilled in a person’s mind: fixed mindset and growth. In my situation, I was frustrated by any challenge that came my way. I hid my flaws so that I was not judged or labeled by a failure. I believed that failure defined me. Although I showcased a fixed mindset at the beginning of high school, I’ve vastly changed my mindset and I’m constantly working towards improvement academically and physically. Upon entering high school, the upperclassmen gave me the impression that you are either born a natural born genius, or you are born average and cannot do anything to change your ability. I began to receive ‘C’s’ on my assessments and didn’t bother to strive higher because I believed that my intellect has been fixed since birth. This example from my own life is much like the ones mentioned in Dweck’s novel, “The professor returns the midterm papers to the class. You got a C+... When I asked people with a fixed mindset, this is what they said:’I’d feel like a reject.’’I’m a total failure.’”(Dweck 8). Similar to my situation, those who responded to Dweck with a fixed mindset, did not allow themselves to reflect upon their mistakes and how they can change from them. I was dissatisfied with my performance at the end of the semester and evaluated my mistakes. Rather than being harsh on myself, I chose to change

Fixed mindset is perceived to be negative by many people; but after I thought about it, I decided that without my fixed ability, I wouldn’t have made such large academic strides. Carol Dweck’s analysis of mindset has truly brought up some of my successes and struggles in the past, but through it all, one thing is certain: people can change their mindset for the