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People often develop their mindsets early in life—shaped by parents, culture, media, and personal experiences—and these beliefs persist unless consciously reexamined. Dr. Crum highlights familiar examples such as Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, which regards abilities as malleable, versus a fixed mindset, which sees them as static. Such core beliefs influence motivation and perseverance.
Beyond academic abilities, mindsets extend across all areas: attitudes toward food (delicious versus depriving), exercise (enough versus insufficient), illness (manageable versus catastrophic), and even perceptions of symptoms like side effects. These beliefs, whether true or false, can physiologically prime the body to respond in ways consistent with them.