• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Jared Dees

Author. Speaker. Teacher.

  • About
    • Now
    • Projects
    • Jared’s Newsletter
    • Contact
  • Books
    • New! Goals to Gold
    • New! The Gospel According to Video Games
    • New! Just Plant Seeds
    • Beatitales
    • Take and Eat
    • Prepare the Way
    • Take Up Your Cross
    • 15-Minute Stations of the Cross for Kids
    • View All Books
  • Events
  • Articles
  • Stories for Kids
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

The Two Fixed Mindsets

By Jared Dees

Have you heard of Carol Dweck’s research on mindset? It was popularized in her book by that title, Mindset.

Here is her TED Talk on her research:

I was blessed to have read about her research while studying education at the University of Notre Dame in 2004-2005. I also got to apply her work to coaching while working for the sports education program Play Like A Champion Today.

But it wasn’t until I actually read her book this month that I realized there are actually two kinds of fixed mindsets.

First of all, someone with a growth mindset embraces learning. They accept challenges as opportunities to grow. They enjoy the process more than the outcome.

Someone with a fixed mindset on the other hand, sees their intelligence and abilities as fixed. They believe they are either talented or not.

There are actually two types of fixed mindsets.

One seems obvious. We don’t want people to think they are doomed to be dumb. If they think of themselves as untalented and unable to succeed, then they won’t try to improve. They will fail because they lack the perseverance to push through challenges and learn to succeed.

The second kind of fixed mindset may be surprising.

We don’t want people to think they are talented. We want to encourage confidence, of course, but we also want to ensure that people will continue to grow and get better no matter how talented they may think they are.

LeBron James was a gifted athlete in high school but he became great because he got better and bigger year after year. Other star players fail in the pros because they don’t push through adversity and seek to get better. When they fail, they think it is because they weren’t good enough and that they can’t get better. A growth mindset athlete always knows she can get better.

Success can be debilitating. Think of the author or musician who creates a big hit. That next work of art may never be as good as the early success. As a result they are afraid to fail. They often fade in popularity because they never create their next work of art.

With both fixed mindsets, the result is the same. People don’t try and they don’t grow.

I created this video to explain these two kinds of fixed mindsets:

November 18, 2017 Filed Under: Creativity, Leadership, Meaning and Motivation, Productivity

About Jared Dees

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children.

Previous Post: « A 1% Better Writer
Next Post: October 2017 Project Report »

Primary Sidebar

Jared Dees

Author, Speaker, Teacher

Join the 10,000+ subscribers to Jared's weekly email newsletter with stories for kids:

Jared’s New & Popular Books

  • 🌳 Beatitales
  • 🍞🍷 Take and Eat
  • 👨‍🏫 Christ in the Classroom
  • 🌱 Just Plant Seeds 
  • 🎮 The Gospel According to Video Games
  • 📚 View All >

Jared’s Popular Website for Religious Educators

Search the Site:

Footer

Connect with Jared Dees

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children. See all of Jared's Books →

Stories for Children

Copyright © 2025 · Jared Dees