Mindsets are everything
They explain nearly all of the decisions that you make.
You take a deep breath, knowing that whatever is on the paper before you will determine your future.
As your your fingers wrap around the edges of the page, your heart begins to race. You take another deep breath and slowly peel back the paper.
Scanning the page, your mind whirrs with anticipation as the seconds tick by.
Red slashes and X’s on the page overwhelm your attention until finally, you see the grade in the corner.
Your eyes widen.
You’ve been getting A’s in all your math classes, but then Calculus III hits you hard. Your first test comes back: You got a “C.”
Your mind races with thoughts.
Scenario 1, your thoughts look something like this:
I think I picked a class that is too hard for me. I liked it better when I was taking Algebra. I know how to do Algebra.
I wish I was able to ace this material from the get-go without putting in much effort. If I put in effort, that means I’m not smart enough.
What questions did I get right on the exam? If I pay attention on what I did well, I won’t feel as dumb.
Are there people that did worse than me on this exam?
This is hard; I don’t want to take this class anymore.
In scenario 2, they sound more along the lines of this:
This class is difficult. But I know that taking a harder class will stretch me the most, and I’ll learn a lot.
I have to work harder in the class from here on out. Putting in effort and asking for help when I need it will help me reach my goals and succeed.
What questions did I get wrong on my exam? If I highlight my deficiencies, I’ll be able to work on reducing them.
This is hard; nonetheless, I am enjoying this class. This is fun.
The difference between the person in scenario 1 and 2 is the mindset they adopt.
In scenario 1, the student believes that their performance in the class is governed by their performance on this exam. They lose interest in the class when they realize it’s challenging. They think that their intelligence, which may have been enough in the past, is no longer enough. Instead of owning up to their failure, they sweep it under the rug and make excuses like, “I picked a class that is way too hard for me,” instead of examining the root cause of their score. When given the chance to look at the test scores of other students, they choose the students that did worse than them so that they can feel better about themselves. The need to prove their intelligence and worth holds them back. They are defined by their failure.
In scenario 2, the student understands that it’s not about being perfect when it comes to taking tests; it’s about learning from mistakes and making progress over time. They spend a lot of time on their errors. Instead of viewing learning and intelligence as something that can’t be changed, they see it as a process of continuous improvement. They look at the tests of students who did better than them so that they can learn from them. They are motivated to develop their intelligence and are better able to confront the problems that face them. They use their failure as a stepping stone to positive growth.
The person in scenario 1 is a fixed-mindset thinker, while the person in scenario 2 is a growth-mindset thinker.
The growth and fixed mindset play a role in many aspects of our lives, not just in school. For instance, we are faced with important questions when it comes to relationships, pursuing activities that interest us, or working on complex projects:
Do we choose a partner that will put us on a pedestal and glorify everything positive about us, or do we choose a partner that gives us constructive criticism and helps us to become a better person?
Do we tell ourselves we want to play a musical piece and then drop it at the first hint of struggle, or do we put ourselves into situations that stretch us and help us learn more?
Do we spend our time on the aspects of the project that we are most confident in completing, or do we spend time on the most challenging ones?
The ability to deliberately change our actions to bring us closer to our goals lies in the awareness of the mindset we manifest in each situation. We all have a mix of the growth and fixed mindset. The objective is to decide which pursuits are most meaningful to us, and deciding which mindset will take us farthest. In the end, the choice is yours.
Shoutouts:
Shoutout to Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset, which inspired this blog post.
Shoutout to Jake Scott’s song, “The Man I Want to Be.” Scott’s song has been making its way into my daily Spotify listens as I find value in reflecting on my primary intentions for winter break.