Different mindsets and the relationship to effort and outcome
It is common to hear that if we are not born with a natural talent for skiing, no matter how hard we try we will not become better skiers, i.e., it is believed that we cannot improve through effort or that if having to try hard it is because we are not skilled. This classic example of a fixed mindset means that any negative criticism received or interpreted as such means that we are not natural skiers and therefore do not want to expose as such.
Very often, if we have this type of mentality, pass up opportunities to learn and if we don’t, we feel discouraged by having to work hard to achieve a goal. To prove how skilled we are, we prefer results without too much effort. We may believe that effort is only for the less skilled and be intolerant of our mistakes, our failures, and even the criticism of instructors and coaches, whom we perceive as inquisitors of our performance rather than advisors of our learning. Of course not everyone applies the same effort: the skier who possess innate abilities will tend to make less effort than the one who does not.
Carol Dweck argues that changing our mindset is not about assimilating a few suggestions but about looking at the situation from a different perspective. When we change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, we change from a structure of judging and being judged to one of learning through a commitment to grow through effort. Being good skiers or better athletes is about practicing more than others and trying harder, that’s why we are better. Success is based on the passion we show for learning and meeting challenges by valuing effort and persistence.
As fixed-minded skiers, we base our beliefs on the fact that skiing is all about getting results: getting down a run in a certain time or winning the race. If we fail, everything falls apart considering it wasted time. But being growth-minded skiers, on the other hand, we value what we are learning beyond results. Of course, it is not always easy to change our beliefs and thoughts. Moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset requires will and time and, above all, the courage to embrace our desires.
Fixed and growth mindset vs. progress
A fixed mindset hinders our learning and limits our progress. Adopting a growth mindset is the starting point for progress. Being fixed mindset skiers we evaluate every bit of information we receive from instructors and coaches, from the environment, or from other people and according to how we interpret that evaluation is how we act positively or negatively. As growth mindset skiers, we also evaluate the information we receive but our internal dialogue is focused on learning, asking ourselves how to take advantage of the situation we are presented with for our own progress.
Effects of inner dialogue
As fixed mindset skiers, our inner dialogue can be translated as “I’m not doing it”; “I’m not taking lessons because it won’t change the situation”; “It’s not worth trying”; “I must protect myself (from making a fool of myself, from affecting my self-esteem/self-image).” Instead, being growth mindset skiers, we may have the following monologues: “Go ahead, do it, it’s a new experience”; “If others try, why not me?”; “What can happen?”; “I don’t want to regret not trying”.
An athlete with a fixed mindset may have the following dialogue: “I have to win every time”; “It all depends on whether I win”; “I have to prove to myself that I can win”. In contrast, one with a growth mindset makes the following reflections: “I am going to observe and learn”; “My goal is to progress and become a better athlete”.
Other examples of inner dialogue may be: “I am very capable and talented”, “I don’t need to practice or train because I am superior”. But when experiencing a negative situation, the dialogue might change to: “I seem to be in trouble”, “I am not reaching my goals”, “I think I need to change”. Then another type of monologue begins: “I think I have a lot to learn”, “I’m going to stop worrying about failures/mistakes”, “I will start practicing and training conscientiously”.
Ski instructors and coaches with a fixed and a growth mindset
Not only learners and athletes have a fixed or growth mindset: instructors and coaches also have them when considering whether or not they have the ability for teaching or coaching. Every word, every action or behavior sends a message that learners/athletes interpret in a particular way. Fixed-minded instructors/coaches create an environment of constant evaluation, making the mistake of determining who is skilled and who is not by observing the first practices. Learners and athletes who perceive a sense of constant evaluation believe that these pros are there to judge their skills. Some stop considering the less skilled, or tend to discriminate by paying less attention to them. The attitude they take is to impart knowledge in front of different learners/athletes winter after winter.
In contrast, those professionals with a growth mindset set criteria, objectives, and goals above and beyond the norm for everyone, not just for those who are already achieving a certain level of performance. This is because they are not only passionate about teaching and coaching but also have confidence in their learners’ and athletes’ learning progress. These perceive a climate of encouragement since the facilitators are there to help them learn because they actually enjoy contributing to their progress and learning themselves since they also learn when they teach.
