Does Mindset Have an Impact on Performance and Results?

My Mindset Story 

Students are not all created equal.  There is tons of research that focuses on a student or participant's beliefs about intelligence.  The research reveals that all students have different mindsets about intelligence.  Based on my experience (training for over a decade in the corporate world), I knew there was a reason why some people thrived with seemingly less knowledge and others had loads of knowledge but failed.  

It wasn’t until beginning research on a thesis that I reflected back on my life and the many thousands of participants I have interacted with.  I wonder how many students quit the first go round (like I did ) after being negatively influenced by someone in their surroundings.  Could their outcomes have been different if there were a mentor that shared their struggles and experiences?  Could their results have been different if the professor had taken another approach and considered the mindsets in the classroom?

Perhaps some students just need some encouragement and belief in their ability to succeed if they take the necessary steps.  If there was a community that shared similar challenges and fears would it make a difference?  Could the dropout or give up rate be impacted?  Should leaders be surveyed to determine if their own mindsets impact dropout rates, performance, or outcomes? 

This thinking came into focus even more after observing participants for over a decade in the corporate world.  I began to notice that there was a correlation between mindset and performance.  It seemed as though I could almost predict who would fail or succeed based on mindset.  I began to focus on mindset and worked to have an impact on individuals who struggled.

Over the years, I received numerous communications sharing how my focus on mindset made an impression on them.  They eagerly share their accomplishments and results.  I wanted to know more about mindset and its power to drive success or failure.  This drove me to do formal research on the matter.  I also wanted to address the process involved in improving performance by supporting and encouraging a change in mindset and share what I learned.

Tonnie