Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck
The general theme or argument of this book was that the most successful people or entrepreneurs are those who have a positive attitude, and first convince themselves that they are capable of achieving more. Because they have more optimism in order to maintain a positive mindset, it is these people who have more motivation, work harder, and are less likely to give up. As a result, they are less likely to accept failure and demand quality and success within their work and their lives.
In my opinion, the book connected with and enhanced what we are learning currently in ENT3003 because within discussing techniques and strategies to become successful within business, we have focused on the importance of perseverance, determination, and optimism. Within each of these concepts lies the mindset that Dweck describes in her book and, further, the different characteristics that are common in successful entrepreneurs.
I love creating business education curriculum, and am currently teaching an entrepreneurship course focused on success and failure in entrepreneurship, which is why I am so interested in this book particularly. In order to teach an activity based on this book, I would have students identify someone successful and someone "not" successful either in business or in life, and compare the different attributes and mindsets of each of these people.
My biggest surprise reading the book was the proof. Throughout the book, Dweck includes specific examples of companies and entrepreneurs who say that the biggest contribution to their success was their own belief that they would succeed. In addition, there were psychological tests/research that had been conducted which supported the concept that those with a more positive or optimistic outlook tended to achieve more than those with a more pessimistic outlook. It surprised me the extent to which your mindset really can affect your success in life and in business. However, I guess it is not quite as surprising considering that so many successful entrepreneurs were originally dreamers who had ideas no one believed in, but maintained a positive and optimistic outlook.
Hey Lauren,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this reading reflection. I think it includes very valuable content. I am sure that those entrepreneurs who believe in their idea are definitely more motivated and successful. I think optimism in general is a key factor for a successful life. People how see everything in a pessimistic way will never appreciate life and what it brings as much as optimistic people.