Multiple Intelligences and Growth and Fixed Mindsets

 What does multiple intelligences mean, and how do they tie into growth and fixed mindsets?

The idea of multiple intelligences proposes the idea that there are more facets of intelligence rather than the standard ability. As defined by Gardner, there are eight (sometimes nine) facets of intelligence such as:

1. Kinesthetic
2. Interpersonal
3. Visual
4. Linguistic
5. Mathematical
6. Naturalistic
7. Intrapersonal
8. Musical
9. (And occasionally) Existential

This is highly different than how people usually categorise intelligence. To others, intelligence is reading and writing, maths, and science. While being intelligent can include this, it is not the only form of intelligence, especially since reading and writing, and maths are not even categorised as the same form of intelligence.

Personally, I find that after a self-reflection and three different quizzes, linguistics is my highest level of intelligence. I also found intrapersonal, existential, and mathematical to rank high. Two of my lowest ranking intelligence types are naturalistic and musical. 

If an aspect is low ranking, it does not mean that you cannot improve upon these skills. This is where the idea of growth and fixed mindsets. A growth mindset is where someone is willing and capable of developing talent through practice and can acknowledge that failing is a step to success. A fixed mindset is where someone believes that talent is something you are born with and that cannot be changed, most often these people are scared of failure so they do not try or attempt new things.

By having a growth mindset, one can acknowledge what they are bad at and practice to improve themselves. This is why it is better to have a growth mindset. Someone with a growth mindset can set to improve themselves and see failure as something good; with failure comes the knowledge of what not to do when you try again. Having a growth mindset allows someone to be capable of improving at what they are bad at without the fear of being bad or needing to improve for the sake of others, like how someone with a fixed mindset may feel.