PHENOMA practical book for schools 2019 PHENOMA practical book for schools 2019 | Page 84

Unfortunately, this kind of attitude prevents individuals with a fixed mindset from reaching
their full potential. They can do well in a mentally comfortable environment performing
familiar tasks, but they will avoid taking intellectual risks that might expose their shortcomings.
Now individuals with growth mindset tend to believe that their talents and natural abilities are
just the starting point; it is up to them to work on these assets and develop them to a much
higher level. They embrace challenges because they help them learn new skills and grow as a
person. When they come upon a difficult problem, they persist until they solve it, even if they
have to ask for help. There is nothing shameful in asking questions and getting help from peers
or teachers. When they are given feedback they see it as a great shortcut to acquiring new skills
and broadening knowledge.
We all have certain predispositions; some things come very naturally to us, others require more
effort. When something is easy, there is not much satisfaction in being able to do it, even if you
do it well.
Below we present a sample questionnaire which could help students identify their mindset.
1. If you were presented with a choice of assignments varying in difficulty from very easy to
quite complex, would you rather
A. Choose a task that you have done before, so you can be relatively sure you can do it well?
B. Pick something you’re not very familiar with, because you want to challenge yourself and
learn something new?
2. Do you think that people who achieve great success in any area of life do so because
A. They were born with special talents and abilities?
B. They have good strategies and work hard towards their goals?
3. If you are doing something for the first time, and it’s not going very well, do you
A. Say to yourself, “I’m not good at this,” and quit?
B. Keep practicing until you become better at it?
If an individual gets more ‘A; answers it might indicate he has a fixed mindset. It is however,
worth stressing out that this obtained result is only rough and we should find more evidence
for either disposition.