Mindset is an important indicator of your likelihood of success in an endeavor. It can make all the difference between success and failure. There are only two basic mindsets: a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.

A growth mindset is the preferred mindset for most purposes. You’ve probably heard about it and its characteristics many times. But what about its counterpart, the fixed mindset? Do you understand what it is and the ways it's different from a growth mindset?

One of the primary characteristics of a fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and moral character are static. These things are fixed by genetics and can’t change or be developed with effort. A person is either smart or not; someone has a good moral character or not.

People with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenges and give up on things easily if they don’t come naturally. After all, if you can’t learn to be better, why bother? Another characteristic of a fixed...

Your mindset is the set of beliefs and attitudes you hold about yourself, other people, and the world. It includes your outlook on life and your philosophies about the universe. While there are many different dimensions to a person’s mindset, each one falls into one of two categories: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

Fixed Mindset

A person with a fixed mindset believes that someone’s intrinsic qualities are set at birth and can’t change. Someone with a fixed mindset believes that intelligence, talent, and other attributes are determined by the genetic lottery at conception and can’t be improved upon even with training and practice. They believe themselves to be good or bad at something based on inherent talents. They also believe that people’s character is inborn. People are born good, bad, or something in between and can’t change.

People who have a fixed mindset tend to ignore things they aren’t immediately...