26 Part I The Transition to College Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. informative. By exploring and reflecting on these facets, you can better under- stand which apply to you best or illuminate your goals most effectively. Through determining which ones resonate the most for you, you have the opportunity to foster greater self-awareness around the way you approach college and life. Building on this awareness, you can cultivate a more intentional mindset that allows you to see college as a transformative experience. Focusing on key theories advanced by contemporary thinkers in diverse fields (psychology, literature, social work) can contribute to your understanding and appli- cation of the concept of mindset. Many people have given TED Talks on these subjects that you can easily watch online. We’ve selected these particular facets because they have specific and significant relevance to your experience at college. Facet #1: Fixed vs. Growth Mindsets “And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.” —Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Dweck, 2008) Professor Dweck’s research on motivation suggests there is one very influential dimension of our mindset that shapes how we see the world, approach problems and challenges, assess our capabilities, and make choices. Dweck describes this dimension as a growth versus a fixed mindset. (See Figures 2.1 and 2.2.) A person inclined toward a fixed mindset tends to see their ability to learn as set, or fixed, at a certain level. They see challenges that they can’t solve as being due to the limits of their intellect or abilities. A growth mindset, conversely, is oriented to chalk up failures to not investing enough effort or not being ready yet. This type of mindset makes a person more likely to be willing to take on a future challenge and thrive, seeing any failures as a reflection of their effort rather than a determination of their worth. For a simple example, picture how you would react to failing a test. With a fixed mindset, you would say, “Darn, I’m not smart enough to do well in that class.” But with a growth mindset, you instead might say to yourself, “Okay, I need to work harder next time or try some new strategies.” THINK ABOUT IT Look back at your responses to Try This 2.2. Choose something you believe you cannot become better at doing. When did you first believe or decide you weren’t and couldn’t be good at this? Where did you get that messaging or input from? What is it about the item or yourself that makes you think you can’t do it? How is it different from other things you have learned or gotten better at over time?