People who think talent is innate may have a fixed mindset.

People who think they can always learn and grow may have a growth mindset.

A difficult task can be a moment to learn, not a threat to your ego.

When I was a kid, my parents often said chi ku 吃苦, eat bitter. Sometimes we must endure hard work and pain to build resilience and move through adversity. In my teens, whenever I complained about homework, my parents often said I had to eat bitter and push through the difficult tasks. This was their form of tough love.

I often went to my sister for clarification and support; I asked her if they really meant bittersweet. Some sweetness is nice, after all. She shook her head and said, “There’s nothing sweet here, honey, only the bitter.” For this mode of thinking, life requires many doses of bitterness. Imagine not feeling pain while grieving over a loved one’s death; you only deny what is true.

The mindset theory can help us eat the bitter.

Carol Dweck, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the author of Mindset: How You Can Fulfill Your........

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