“Mindset change is not about picking up a few pointers here and there. It's about seeing things in a new way. When people...change to a growth mindset, they change from a judge-and-be-judged framework to a learn-and-help-learn framework. Their commitment is to growth, and growth takes plenty of time, effort, and mutual support.”

― Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ―

The Impact of Believing We Can Grow

Our ability to embrace ongoing self-exploration and self-development of our capacity to address matters of race and racism is rooted in our ability to adopt and maintain a growth mindset--the belief that existing dispositions, knowledge, awareness, and skills can be improved with humility, intentionality, and persistence. Engaging matters of race and racism with a growth mindset is an opportunity for us to become active, lifelong learners and agents for positive social change.

Developing a Growth Mindset - What is the power of "yet"? Professor Carol Dweck answers this question and more, as she talks about her groundbreaking work on developing mindsets.

The Power of Vulnerability - Dr. Brené Brown is a researcher professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work, where she has spent the past ten years studying a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness, posing the questions: How do we engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to embrace our imperfections and to recognize that we are enough -- that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?

Holistic therapist, Maria Sosa, utilized Carol Dweck’s extensively researched fixed and growth mindset model to create the visual comparison infographic below to help us pause and consider our own level of awareness and where we may be along the 'comfort to courage' spectrum in supporting our antiracist beliefs and practices.

Antiracism: Fixed to Growth Mindset reflections

Antiracism: Fixed to Growth Mindset. Graphic by Maria Sosa

Reflection Questions

What are your thoughts on the videos?
What reflections stood out to you, and why?
What fears/challenges do you have in engaging matters of race and racism?
What hopes/opportunities do you envision in engaging matters of race and racism?
How might adopting a growth mindset position you to overcome your fears/challenges and embrace your hopes/opportunities in engaging matters of race and racism?

Reflection Resources

15 Ways to Build a Growth Mindset

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