Carol Dweck makes a useful distinction between “fixed” and “growth” mindsets.  Those with a fixed mindset believe that traits such as intelligence, leadership, or even engineeringness are fixed.  Those with a growth mindset believe that they can grow and develop to become better along some dimension of human accomplishment.  Interestingly, Dweck’s research has shown that either viewpoint is a self-fulfilling prophesy, and those who shift to a growth mindset can make startling improvements in performance. WNE urges the current emphasis on sorting and a cruel survival of the fittest to a culture of caring, nurturing, and growth. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success written by Carol Dweck helps put this important shift in thinking to work in the engineering classroom and in all aspects of life.