Why a Fixed Mindset Might be Holding Your Art Career Back and What You Can Do About It

You may have already heard about how a ‘growth mindset’ can improve your chances of success and how a ‘fixed mindset’ can hinder your success. 

There is an abundance of scientific research that shows how a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset can impact how you go about the things you do in your world and your approach. (Prof Carol Dweck of Stanford University is the leader in this field).

It’s fairly simple to identify if your mindset is fixed or growth. This combined with the fundamental beliefs that you have about your identity and place in the world will shape the life you have.

Neural pathways are developed by doing or thinking things. The things that we do or say more often become hard-wired into our brains as habits. These form defined ‘routes’ in our brain, which become easier to use. 

Neuroplasticity means that these defined routes can be changed. To do this. of course, you need to realise that you have a need to, then to train your brain in the new skill / new way of thinking.

Fixed or Growth Mindset?

There are two ways to view intelligence or ability:

• 1) Ability is fixed or ingrained – in other words, we are born with a certain level of ability and we cannot change that. This is called a fixed mindset. Or
  2) We can develop our ability through learning, work and effort. This is called a growth mindset.

These two different beliefs lead to different behaviour, and also to different results.

For example, in a research experiment, students with a growth mindset were shown to increase their grades over time. Those who believed that their intelligence was ingrained (fixed mindset) did not. Their grades actually declined.

A growth mindset is simply the belief that our basic abilities can be developed and improved through our efforts.

With a growth mindset, we can break through being stuck and achieve the results we desire, whether that be at work, in our relationships, or in other aspects of our lives.

And as you might have guessed, to have confidence, and creativity, a growth mindset is required as a foundation.

Do You Already Have a Growth Mindset?

Do you believe that you were born and raised with a fixed set of skills and abilities—such as your IQ—that you had from birth and will stay with you your entire life? This represents a fixed mindset.
Fixed mindset phrases can sound like I’m just no good at… I could never...

Or do you believe that your ideas and beliefs are ever-evolving, that you can learn new skills if you work at them, and that your wisdom and intelligence grow with each new experience?
This belief is more representative of a growth mindset
Growth mindset phrases can sound like I’m enjoying learning… I didn’t used to be good at… I’m so pleased I took the time to... I haven’t ever done that but I could give it a go…

Now think about all the things you need to have organised or do in your art career and business, do you have a growth mindset about all areas? It’s worth pondering (BTW there is no judgement if you have some fixed mindset, it’s common and that’s what this post is about)

Why is a Fixed Mindset a problem for artists?

If we have a fixed mindset, we may shy away from challenges because we do not want to feel embarrassed or humiliated in front of others, or even ourselves.

But this can be problematic because our fear of making mistakes can lead us to avoid challenges and new experiences — experiences that would help us grow and improve ourselves in important ways, and create the life we desire. It also hinders our creativity. If we are fixed we can’t be creative.

 Sure we can create, but with a fixed mindset that likely looks like sticking to narrow boundaries and doing much the same work in much the same way for long periods of time, not from a place of going deeper into this work but rather from a place of not being willing to experiment, play and challenge ourselves. (A subtle distinction I know, but you’ll know it if this is happening for you)

And if we are reluctant to put our work forward to the public, collectors, buyers, gallery owners and others for fear of being judged, it becomes incredibly difficult to have a career as an artist.

The interesting thing about a fixed mindset is that it is counterintuitive to creativity. 

Artists can have a growth mindset about their creative practice, but a fixed mindset in other areas of their lives (hello sales, and business for example). 

When I see this, it is a big clue that the artist is not being true to themselves or embracing their natural way of being. I understand how this happens – my hypothesis is that little to no ‘art business education’ keeps business a mystery for art students and artists, in much the same way having no art education in business schools keeps art a mystery to many business graduates. However as much as I wish more people had art education (no matter their profession) we, the artists, actually require business knowledge so we need to learn.

With a “growth mindset,” we enjoy challenges, despite the risk, usually, because we value learning and growth more than we value what other people may think about us knowing what we’re doing. And we are therefore open to learning.

If you want to succeed to your true potential, building a growth mindset in all areas of your art life and art business is important.
When you are willing to tackle new things, get advice and support, to expand your horizons and show up as the artist you really want to be (no matter what level you are already at), your further success can be surprisingly swift. But to do these a growth mindset is crucial.

When you play small and don’t tackle the uncomfortable tasks, or when you think about doing something ‘one day’ and that one day stays far in some unspecified future, you are doing yourself and your art career a disservice.

So what can you do about developing a growth mindset around all areas of your art life? Read below for 14 tips