Book Review-Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D

I would first like to say that I would normally never read a book like this.  I would never pick it up off the Barnes & Noble table and purchase it, nor would I look for it in the library.  However, reading this book was one of the best things I have done in a long time and here's why.
"Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" is written by Carol S. Dweck, a well-known and very knowledgeable psychologist.  Her main focus is to introduce readers to two different types of mindsets: the fixed and the growth.  People with the fixed mindset believe that everyone is given certain gifts when they are born and as hard as you may try, you can never improve upon those gifts.  For example, James Galway, one of the best flautists in the world and one of the most popular, was born with a musical gift.  He does practice to maintain his gift, but the knowledge that he posesses of how to play the instrument has always been with him.  Very few people, according to those with the fixed mindset, can reach the level of success that James has.  People with the growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that through hard work, acceptance of criticism, and the desire to succeed, people can achieve goals that some would consider to be impossible.
How can this book affect teachers, managers, coaches, parents, and students?  Everyone either has a fixed or growth mindset.  I, for a long time, have believed that I am just okay at certain things and that it is my personality that affects those things.  I believed that a personality cannot be changed. After reading this book, I can at least say that I now believe that I can change for the better.  That my negative traits are not just something that I have to deal with, but something that I can change.
I do recommend this book for really anyone who is unsatisfied with their life and the "cards they've been dealt" so to speak.  I think sometimes it's hard for people to admit that they need help both personally and professionally.  I hope that if you do pick up this book, whether you are a teacher or not, that it can seriously improve your outlook on life and yourself.