About the Book
You wouldn’t BELIEVE how long I’ve been meaning to read this book for. Honestly, I dread to think how long the little note on my phone has been there!
I finally finished it this week though and happily I can report it was worth the wait. There were soooo many useful takeaways for me – not just on mindset but also on handling people and building relationships.
Here’s a summary of the main ones for me…
Favourite Passages
- “… different students handle depression in dramatically different ways. Some let everything slide. Others, though feeling wretched, hang on. They drag themselves to class, keep up with their work, and take care of themselves – so that when they feel better, their lives are intact.” Chapter 2: Inside the Mindsets – Mindset and Depression
- “Edwards agrees that most people view drawing as a magical ability that only a select few possess, and that only a select few will ever possess. But this is because people don’t understand the components – the learnable components – of drawing… they are not drawing skills at all, but seeing skills. They are the ability to perceive edges, spaces, relationships, lights and shadows, and the whole. Drawing requires us to learn each component skill and then combine them into one process.” Chapter 3: The Truth about Ability and Accomplishment – Is Artistic Ability a Gift?
- “Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn’t mean that others can’t do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.” Chapter 3: The Truth about Ability and Accomplishment – Is Artistic Ability a Gift?
- “‘I believe ability can get you to the top,’ says coach John Wooden, ‘but it takes character to keep you there.'” Chapter 4 | Sports: The Mindset of a Champion – Staying on Top
- “‘ If we’re managing good people who are clearly eating themselves up over an error, our job is to help them through it.”‘” Chapter 5 | Business: Mindset and Leadership | Jack: Listening, Crediting, Nurturing
- “‘Every marriage demands an effort to keep it on the right track; there is a constant tension… between the forces that hold you together and those that can tear you apart.'” Chapter 6 | Relationships: Mindsets in Love (Or Not) | Mindsets Falling in Love
- “Relationship expert Daniel Wile says that choosing a partner is choosing a set of problems. There are no problem-free candidates. The trick is to acknowledge each other’s limitations, and build from there.” Chapter 6 | Relationships: Mindsets in Love (Or Not) | Each One a Loser
- “Then I realized something. I controlled half of the relationship, my half. I could have my half of the relationship. At least I could be the loving daughter I wanted to be. In a sense, it didn’t matter what she did. I would still be ahead of where I was.” Chapter 6 | Relationships: Mindsets in Love (Or Not) | The Partner as Enemy
- “It’s not that bullies are low in self-esteem, but judging and demeaning others can give them a self-esteem rush.” Chapter 6 | Relationships: Mindsets in Love (Or Not) | Who are the Bullies?
What Others Are Saying
Star Rating
4.25/5:
This is a really solid book, chock full of so many useful insights.
I dare say it would have had an even greater impact on me had I not come across “fixed” vs “growth” mindsets before. As it is, some of it seemed to repeat itself a fair bit with slightly nuanced applications.
Nonetheless, Mindset is still definitely worth a read, even if it is just for the section on relationships. This alone has opened my eyes GREATLY!
Scott's Book Review Blog 