Ratings and Mindset

I have been reading a book on Chess Improvement. One of the more exciting aspects was the mindset of players.

What is your mindset Fixed or Growth?

Fixed.

• Strong focus to the point of obsession. A rating is the foremost of your status. Chess games are dominated by an inner voice. “How will a win/defeat impact on my rating.”
• As a result, I choose my opponent carefully to maximise the likelihood of rating gains. If online, I will abort before making a move, if I’m black or the risk of losing to a lower-rated player will cost me points.
• Each win is proving my ability, and the higher rating gives me status amongst my peers
• Each loss is devastating and shows my low level of ability in the face of stronger players

Growth.

• Strong focus on the rating but not the status, but simply the higher the rating, the better quality of play. With the expectation, if I improve my knowledge and understanding of the game, the rating points will look after themselves.
• I take on all-comers regardless of rating status, with the expectation of learning from the experience.
• Each win is coveted not for the points but because it was interesting, stimulating and added to my growing knowledge base
• Defeat is remediable. Losses are investable and a chance for review, seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge. Each loss is welcomed as a positive step.

Yeah, and I think it goes even further. For example

Fixed
 - Looks for small short term gains such as learning a tricky sideline deeply or solving lots of timed tactics puzzles.

Growth
 - Looks for long term gains by playing respectable openings even if they don't have much experience or know all the theory yet. When studying will work on their weakest area even if it's not immediately applicable in terms of results.

---

Also you say wins are coveted for a growth player, and maybe that's true, but I think the fixed mindset is the one thinking in terms of wins and losses. A growth player doesn't see wins and losses, but a collection of mistakes to learn from.

A fixed player would say "I played well today because I won 8 out of 10 games, even though I was lost in most of my games I got lucky with a tactic or time scramble. It was a good day because I gained 40 rating points."

A growth player would say "I played well today because I wasn't making the same errors today that I was a week or two ago. Even though my rating went down today, a year from now I'll be 200 points better."

Which, by the way... I think it's good to adopt a fixed mindset when you no longer have chances to keep improving in the long term.

I knew a guy in his 60s, and he switched his repertoire to sidelines where he was able to force the kind of positions he wanted. For example think of a Scandinavian or Trompowsky, what I mean is very early choices that set the tone. He won the state championship.

I used to drive home from the club and laugh at myself for the "negative" attitude.

Because my losses I counted as losses, and thought about why I lost.

And in my wins, if at any point I was losing or made a bad decision, I counted that as a loss because "I should have lost."

My wins where I was winning the whole time didn't count as wins, because my opponent played like an idiot, so it wasn't a real game.

So from my POV all my games were always negative haha

But I think that's more in line with what a "growth" mindset is. You're thinking about what you'll do differently next week.

Based on t he definitions given.   I started out "fixed".  I thought my rating was everything.  And if i lost to someone lower rated I would quit, as i thought i they had no business beating me.  I refused to learn from my losses.

Then i traversed over to "growth".  that is when my learning really took off. 

Now?  I have no desire to study, prepare for tournament play, or improve.  My "study" now is purely for the mental exercise.

I guess judging from this, I have a Fixed mindset.