by Martha Darwin

The tone with which we use the term “perfectionist” can be so completely different.  Some take pride in it; others complain about its curse.  Tal Ben-Shahar examines its many sides in his book, The Pursuit of Perfect.  If we want to cultivate optimism and creativity, his comments about mind-set bear some study.

Fixed and Growth Mindsets

It seems that Carol Dweck did some research on fixed mind-set and growth mind-set that revealed useful ideas when it comes to education, particularly.  A fixed mind-set is a belief that our abilities are set in stone – not fluid.  According to the vernacular of my school days, that would mean that as a reader, you’re either in the Bluebird group, or the Redbird group, and never the twain shall meet.  The separation lasts a lifetime.  This would transfer to school, work, sports, relationships – anything where some attempt might be made to measure or evaluate individuals.

On the other hand, a growth mind-set is the belief that abilities are pliable, adaptable.  They can, and do, change through life – offering a dynamic presence, rather than a static one.  It will still integrate the idea that we are born with certain abilities – but as a starting point.  It is our utilization, application, and investment of time that offers a dynamic flow.

To a fixed mind-set person, work poses a threat, as it superimposes that belief in a person’s limitations.  This worker will constantly feel pressure to prove to self and others how smart and perfect he or she may be.

This presents a radical contrast to the person with the growth mind-set.  Hard work is still necessary, but this person looks for the fun and excitement in work – focusing on learning, developing, and realizing potential.  This person looks for the enjoyment of the journey.  They are generally more persistent, less driven by the need to prove something (a burden that weighs on the fixed mind-set).

Dweck’s research was on 5-graders and also revealed that when asked about peers, fixed mind-set students would generally label peers, while growth mind-set students would appraise efforts.

Take a look at where this further leads.  Which group will take the most risks?  It would have to be the people who wanted to influence the fluidity of their minds, instead of trying to protect their status – right?  That’s what the study revealed.

I don’t think this next question will be hard to answer:  Guess which group is akin to perfectionism?

How would you describe positive psychology to someone who doesn’t know anything about it?

Picture the word “psychology” at the top center of a page.  Draw 2 lines down from it – one on each side of the page.  At the end of the first line, write “therapeutic”.  At this point, I would explain that the field of psychology began in this manner.  It had an illness focus, and practitioners were trained to seek illness in their patients.  But clearly, from looking at the diagram on the page, you can see that this arrangement is out of balance, and that is what psychology had become.  It was sorely needed in the area of therapy, but was woefully lacking for those healthy individuals who were more oriented toward growth and fulfillment of themselves.  At this point, write the word “positive psychology” at the end of the line on the right side of the page.  This represents RESEARCH that has been conducted over the last several decades that reveals to us ways that people can improve their mood, have more control over it – AND the benefits that come from a greater percentage of positivity to negativity.  These benefits include health, longevity, creativity, productivity, improved relationships – just to name a few.  There is now enough evidence that we can view this similarly to the way we view caring for our bodies – getting it in shape, in a sense, by following healthy practices.  It’s an exciting time to live because of the body of work that has been generated thus far, and continues to be generated.