Founder @ Innovate || Expert in helping global Control Systems Integrators to build exceptional Automation, Engineering, and Leadership teams.
Eager to settle this debate I've seen doing the rounds on LinkedIn recently…. 📣 'Is a Growth Mindset the Same as Positive Thinking?’.... 📣 Spoiler alert:..... It’s not!!!! While they sound similar, they're actually very different. A growth mindset, a concept by psychologist Carol Dweck, is all about believing that you can improve your skills and abilities through effort, learning, and persistence. It's about embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and seeing failures as stepping stones to success. It’s not just about feeling good but about actively growing. On the other hand, positive thinking is more about keeping an optimistic outlook. It’s the belief that good things will happen and that you can handle whatever comes your way. It’s important for emotional well-being, but it doesn’t necessarily focus on the idea of growth or learning. So, while a growth mindset involves some positivity, it's more focused on taking action and learning rather than just staying upbeat. They’re not the same—but they can definitely complement each other! Here’s my two cents worth… Positive Thinking ≠ Growth Mindset: Positive thinking focuses on expecting good outcomes. A Growth Mindset is about working with what is and adapting to reality. Growth Mindset Embraces Failure: Instead of avoiding failure, it uses it to learn and improve. Failure is just data to pivot from. Risk-Taking: Growth mindset encourages calculated risks. Positive thinking often avoids them to maintain optimism. Action Over Expectation: Growth mindset is about doing, learning, and iterating—not just hoping for the best. Grounded in Reality: While positivity keeps spirits up, growth mindset focuses on practical, real-world learning and progress. Don’t get me wrong… When hiring for our team here at @innovate - we actively seek out positive thinkers, but don’t confuse it with a growth mindset – that’s about moving forward, not just feeling good. For us, a Growth Mindset is non-negotiable. But here’s the bigger questions… Can a Growth Mindset be taught? What do you think?