Submited By: Aisha Rahman
Profession/Lifestyle: Secondary School Teacher and Single Mother
Book Title: Mindset
Author: Carol Dweck
Before reading the Book
For years, I believed that people were just born with talent—or not. I used to think intelligence was something you either had or didn’t, and once you hit a wall, it just meant that was your limit. As a secondary school teacher, I noticed students struggling and told myself, “Maybe this subject just isn’t for them.” I held the same belief about myself. When things became difficult—whether in my teaching career or personal life—I questioned my capabilities.
As a single mother, I constantly worried about how to raise my son to be strong, capable, and confident. But deep down, I was afraid that I wasn’t smart or skilled enough to give him the life he deserved. I compared myself to others and beat myself up when I made mistakes. My inner voice was harsh, unforgiving, and rigid.
I didn’t know there was another way to think.
Discovering the Book That Changed Everything
One evening, while scrolling through social media, I came across a TED Talk by Carol Dweck titled “The Power of Yet.” Her words were simple, but they struck me like lightning: “Are you not smart enough to solve it… or have you just not solved it yet?”
That one word—yet—opened a door in my mind. I immediately searched for her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, and ordered a copy.
The day it arrived, I started reading and couldn’t stop. Dweck’s research and writing made me feel seen. She didn’t speak in complicated jargon. She spoke with clarity and warmth, presenting a radical idea: our abilities aren’t fixed. We can grow.
After the Book
Mindset was a revelation. I started to see how much of my life had been shaped by a fixed mindset—the belief that intelligence, talent, and personality are set in stone. It made me avoid challenges, fear failure, and feel threatened by others’ success.
But Dweck didn’t stop at describing the problem. She gave me the tools to change. Through her powerful examples—from students to CEOs to athletes—she illustrated how adopting a growth mindset leads to resilience, motivation, and true achievement.
I began applying this to my life. At work, I no longer dismissed students as “not math people.” I started praising their effort, strategies, and persistence, not their natural talent. And guess what? They responded. One of my quietest students started raising his hand more. Another who always gave up halfway through tests began pushing through till the end.
At home, I shifted how I spoke to my son. Instead of saying, “You’re so smart,” I said, “I’m proud of how hard you tried.” Instead of “You can’t do this,” I started saying, “You can’t do this yet.” It changed his whole attitude toward homework, and he began seeing mistakes as a part of learning, not a sign of failure.
And for myself? I started challenging the voice in my head that said I wasn’t good enough. I took on new projects at school, faced difficult conversations head-on, and forgave myself when I made mistakes.
The Transformation
The shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset didn’t happen overnight, but once it began, it touched every corner of my life.
I now see setbacks as setups for comebacks. I no longer define my worth by immediate success. I understand that learning happens at the edge of discomfort—that just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
The biggest transformation is in how I view potential—mine, my students’, and my son’s. I used to be stuck in the now, obsessed with proving myself. Now, I live in the world of “not yet,” filled with possibility and curiosity.
Dweck’s book gave me not just a new lens, but a new life.
My Favorite Line & How It Helps Me Every Day
“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are when you could be getting better?”
This line changed my approach to everything. I had spent so much of my energy trying to appear smart, competent, and perfect. Now, I focus that energy on becoming better.
When I catch myself hesitating to try something new—worried I’ll fail or look foolish—I repeat this line in my mind. It reminds me that progress matters more than pride.
To Anyone Considering This Book
If you’ve ever felt stuck, doubted your ability to grow, or held back from challenges out of fear—Mindset is for you.
Carol Dweck doesn’t offer gimmicks. She offers truth backed by decades of research, presented in a way that’s honest, accessible, and deeply empowering.
This book isn’t just for educators or parents—it’s for anyone who wants to live more fully. Whether you’re climbing the career ladder, parenting a child, healing from past failures, or chasing a dream that scares you, this book will give you the courage to keep going.
The world will always try to box us in with labels—smart, average, talented, lazy. But Mindset reminds us that none of these define us. What defines us is our willingness to grow.
I used to fear failure. Now, I embrace the challenge.
I used to ask, “Am I good enough?”
Now, I ask, “How can I get better?”
And that single shift has changed everything.