By Alex Graham

I received Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck as a gift from my dad a few months after I had graduated college and moved away from home to Portland, Oregon.

This isn't your classic "self-help" type of book, but a book where Dweck shares her research on the power of our mindset and the physiology/science behind it.

The Amazon description reads, “After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

In this edition, Dweck offers new insights into her now famous and broadly embraced concept. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. She also expands the mindset concept beyond the individual, applying it to the cultures of groups and organizations. With the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love—to transform their lives and your own.”

Dweck shares examples of how having a growth mindset can impact all aspects of life - parenting, business, school, and relationship. You learn the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and how to approach failing and shortfalls in the best/healthiest way possible. I hoped to understand how I could develop a healthier and stronger mindset that would help me grow and succeed as a husband and in my career.

After reading this book, I found takeaways that have impacted my life:

It helped me recognize the areas in my life where I have a fixed mindset.
It helped me see that a growth mindset can be applied to all aspects of my life, not just my career, but also at home and with family and friends.
I considered the importance of maintaining a growth mindset and the benefits that come with it.
It helped me define what a successful life, family, and career look like to me.
I learned how to personally change and improve my mindset and the importance of continuing to learn, grow and push myself.

The concepts in this book can be applied in so many aspects of life that I would recommend it to anyone. From high school students and recent college graduates, to parents and grandparents, the lessons are universal.

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Published for the blog on May 13, 2021 by Searcy Financial Services, your Overland Park, Kansas Fee-Only Financial Planner and Investment Manager.