Mindset
Carol S. Dweck, PhD
Ballantine Books; $16

I read this book, subtitled The Psychology of Success, earlier this summer at the recommendation of a friend. I have come to believe more so over time that our mindset, not our knowledge or how hard we work, is really the key to our success. For more than 20 years the author, a world-renowned Stanford University psychologist,  has studied mindset. In this book, she discusses two different mindsets: the fixed mindset, which “creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over,” and the growth mindset, which is “based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.” The growth mindset allows for growth as we stretch and challenge ourselves. What is key for all of us is that our mindset is not fixed and we can learn to use a growth mindset to become successful and happy. What I found fascinating was the look at leaders in both sports and business who had fixed or growth mindsets, e.g., Jeffrey Skilling of Enron contrasted with Jack Welch of General Electric or Bobby Knight contrasted with John Wooden, both legendary basketball coaches. Dweck includes help for looking at the world in a new way to change to a growth mindset. She also includes a graphic by Nigel Holmes to remind yourself of the differences between the fixed and growth mindset to help you make decisions that lead to a future you decide.

You can look for the book at your favorite quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.