In planning and various systems thinking, a mindset is a set of ideas, practices, or beliefs held by a group or one person. The word "mindset" comes from the word "perception." To perceive is to think; and to think is to decide. A mindset is really nothing more than a set of cultural assumptions about how the world works. If you don't believe that your world-view is correct, and the rest of the world doesn't believe your view is correct, neither will you be able to change anyone else's mind or even yourself.
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A mindset is defined by the University College of London as a mental attitude toward life which may be justified or unwarranted. In cognitive psychology and decision making, a mindset is described as a mental template in which thoughts are processed. A mindset is also described as a single set of attitudes, theories, or judgments held by a single person or group of individuals.

In this day and age, human beings have been conditioned to believe various erroneous beliefs. When we were young, our only ideas of the world were largely based on factual reality. Over time, due to socialization and exposure to various ideas and perceptions, the ideas that we were brought up on were gradually replaced by a different set of beliefs. Our new set of beliefs began to influence our reasoning, behavior, and even our emotions. Because of this new reality, humans developed the ability to compare and evaluate new information and data with their previous beliefs.

Just like changes in the world around us, our mindset has been similarly affected by our environment. Two different sets of mindsets dominate the development of a persons potential, intelligence, talents, skills, and strengths. One set is fixed, based on fixed traits, and the other is flexible, based on adaptive traits. Those with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence, talents, skills, and abilities are fixed and cannot be changed. The people with a flexible mindset believe that their skills, talents, abilities, and intelligence can be changed, but only through conscious effort.

When people enter the workplace, they have to adapt to the culture and the business in order to thrive. Adaptation allows people to overcome challenges and thrive, even when faced with new, more difficult challenges in their daily lives. People with a growth mindset enjoy a level of self-confidence and are capable of working productively on a variety of tasks. Individuals with a fixed mindset have difficulty with change, because their basic qualities and principles do not change, regardless of the circumstances.

Growth mindset is also defined by an individual's ability to change their basic behaviors, principles, thoughts, and feelings. This ability is related to the mindset described above. Individuals who have a growth mindset believe that their intelligence, talents, skills, and abilities are constant, and can never be changed. This mindset believes that individuals have an innate ability to create meaning from random events, which then inspires them to create meaningful lives for themselves and others. People with a fixed mindset believe that intelligence, talent, skills, and abilities are either fixed or will decrease over time, regardless of the circumstances.

Carol Dweck, author of the highly acclaimed book, The Big Idea, defines growth mindset as a state in which your "mindset becomes connected to your purpose." According to Dweck, "A lot of what we think, say, and do, we believe on a subconscious level. But it is only when we ask those questions that we are able to check to see if the beliefs are true." In other words, her definition of this mindset entails that the "self" is your "destiny," and that your "destiny" is determined by your choices. Carol Dweck contends that the person with a growth mindset has taken personal responsibility for their life, and views their choices as a key to their happiness.
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Possessing these traits does not mean that you have necessarily discovered your calling; rather, it means that you have taken the first step toward self-awareness, self-definition, and personal growth. It is possible to possess these traits, but only if you have taken the time to study and learn about the different kinds of mindsets, along with the various programs that can help you enhance your mindset. In addition, you must work diligently toward acquiring certain attributes, such as intelligence, creativity, social intelligence, and grit. These traits are important to being successful, and most importantly, they lead to happiness. Therefore, while possessing one of these traits may not necessarily make you a good leader, it certainly does not mean that you cannot have all three traits at once, and lead you to success.