Carol Dweck (2014) gives many examples throughout her video about changing mindsets and growth when using ‘yet’. At one point in the video, she discusses a child that wrote her a letter at 13yrs old saying that he realized he had wasted his life after reading her book. I connected with this deeply. But how amazing for him to realize that so young! If only we could all do that!
Last semester I remember feeling as though I had lost so much time focused on perfection, grades, or recognition having a fixed mindset. It was hard to see that this had not only been in my career, but in my education, and in my parenting. Not an easy pill to swallow realizing that your children were now teens, and you had in many ways taught them to follow in your fixed mindset ways. In the video, she also describes being able to build the bridge to “yet”, how to change mindsets directly, and raising kids for ‘now’. (Alumni, 2014)
Since last semester, I have applied many things that I have learned in my career and in my personal life. I have read books from class, watched videos, and researched growth mindset outside of class texts. I printed questions to ask when you notice you are using a fixed mindset and put them up around my house. I have a growth board that reminds me of the areas I want to change and add to it frequently. I realize that I can change. Better late than never. I can change not only in my life, but in my career, and in my overall growth.
Eduardo Briceno (2012) said, “If we win because we are a winner, then when we lose we must be a loser.” Wow! This is something that helped me to realize the areas that I have been fixed. This is so true looking back on how hard I have been on myself in the past when I get a less than stellar grade or review at work. Even the smallest things have thrown me for a loop. Constantly seeking perfection leads to nothing but disappointment, even when there is much to praise.
I have felt a new sense of freedom since trying to apply the growth mindset. Not focusing on the grade but receiving the feedforward and saying I’m not there ‘yet’ has completely changed my confidence level. I have learned that it’s never too late to change your fixed mindset and that you can influence all those around you to shift to a growth mindset.
References
Alumni, S. (2014). Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ
TEDx Talks. (2012). The Power of belief -- mindset and success | Eduardo Briceno | TEDxManhattanBeach. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN34FNbOKXc
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