Growth vs. Stagnation

In her 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Psychologist Carol Dweck introduced the idea of a “growth mindset” which she contrasted with a “fixed mindset.” Someone with a growth mindset, she said, views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset views those same traits as inherently stable and unchangeable over time.

By Dweck’s and others’ definition, a growth mindset is one of constant change – it allows a person to learn from mistakes and setbacks, while a fixed mindset is one of pessimism or at least resignation – nothing is going to change. In one of Dweck’s studies, her team analyzed students’ brain activity while reviewing mistakes they made on a test. Those with a fixed mindset showed no brain activity when reviewing the mistakes, whereas the brains of those with a growth mindset showed processing activity as mistakes were being reviewed.

A Harvard Business School article concluded from this that a fixed mindset can physically prevent you from learning from mistakes, while a growth mindset can empower you to perceive mistakes as learning opportunities.

It seems to me that the current presidential campaign is a case of growth vs. fixed mindset. A growth mindset sees the future as a set of possibilities that can be achieved by learning, adapting, and engaging – it is inherently optimistic. In 1987 Fernando Flores and Terry Winograd coined the term conversations for possibility – these are conversations that are meant to explore potential ideas and opportunities as a basis for committing to specific outcomes and actions. Later, in 2006, Jim Selman introduced the term “conversations for no possibility” and he cites examples such as IBM founder Thomas Watson saying in 1943 “I think there is a world market for about five computers.”

The MAGA Right campaign led by Trump and Vance is a conversation for no possibility. Said another way, their campaign consists of being “against” – they are against abortion, against women’s rights, against health care, against LGBTQ people, against freedom. Whatever you’ve got, they are against it.

The Democrat campaign of Harris and Walz is a conversation for possibility – they are “for” freedom, human rights, democracy. Like the Obama campaigns, they say “Yes We Can!” to problems that seem insurmountable. Where Trump says “only I can fix it,” Harris sees myriad possible solutions and has shown a willingness to learn from mistakes and setbacks, try new approaches, and listen to input.

Even the most radical move of the Democratic campaign – President Biden’s stepping down – is an example of a growth mindset – a relationship to current realities that is values-based and commitment-based, willing to adapt? and keep an eye on the prize. The MAGA campaign, on the other hand sees Trump in worse shape mentally than Biden on his worst day, but refuses to change – there is only one way for them and that way is Trump.

America was founded by people with growth mindsets. The Declaration of Independence is purely a conversation for the possibility of a new form of government, of human rights, and of democracy. American history is a case study in growth as the flaws in the Declaration and the Constitution have been addressed, even at the cost of war to bring the country more in line with the founders’ values rather than their narrower worldview.

America has long been described as the land of opportunity. Opportunity comes when possibilities are mapped onto realities and resources to reveal paths of action. Fixed mindsets do not allow for multiple possibilities, and so stifle opportunities. So the choice in this election is between growth and stagnation. Choose wisely.