Growth Mindset: Defeat

It is so hard to keep trying when you aren't successful the first time. I am really bad at this. If I don't find the answer/solution right away, I get extremely frustrated and have a hard time trying again. If you aren't successful the first time, or get defeated, it helps you learn and grow. Now, you have to go out and find the answer or find help or recourses that can get you closer. You might meet some new people or find a new website that it really helpful. It seems nice to get it right away but you will learn so much more if and feel even more accomplished if you had to fight that challenge.

(Cheezburger)

Growth Mindset: Positivity

I know for a fact that I focus on the negative. I've even had friends and family tell me that I complain a lot. If someone says "your hair looks nice today," I immediately wonder why it didn't look nice the day before or the day before that, instead of accepting the compliment. The video talks about how important positivity is and how we can have more of it in our lives. If we keep practicing positive habits and thoughts, it will become a regular thing in our lives. Try to see the good in everything and everyone. Also, just because you don't see a difference right away, doesn't mean what ever you are doing isn't working, sometimes things take a moment.

Enjoy the little things, Pixabay. 

Bibliography

I watched the video "The Biology of Positivity" by Harvard Education.

Week 8 Growth Mindset

I seem to be putting myself to go farther in this class much more than my other classes; I do the bare minimum for most classes. At work, however, I tend to go past the expectations. I like to stay in my comfort zone for most things so writing stories and getting feedback from others was definitely something new that helped me get out of my bubble. I 100% focus on grades and not learning. I partially blame that on the school system for making grades seem so important and my parents were always expecting a good report card. I also tend to choose what is easy and not challenge myself. I hate spending time practicing; I want to be good at things quickly. This class has helped me not do assignments at the last minute because I am getting closer and closer to the 410 points I need to get an A. I can see the end. I compare myself to others frequently and I am not very confident in my abilities. Writing a few stories in this class, that I actually were really proud of, has helped my confidence. Because this class is so freely structured and you get full points for completing the assignment, it has shown me my real intentions. At first, I just wanted to do the assignment and get the grade. Now, I feel like I really do want to put in my best work even though it won't make a difference in the grade book.

Work Harder, Flickr.

Growth Mindset: The Sleeper

The video talked about how a teacher, Michael Wesch, was getting extremely frustrated with a kid sleeping in his class everyday. I finally had enough and asked him why he always slept in his class. The teacher learned something surprising; they kid was actually working on a very important project at night.
I think this video really shows for one not to judge someone because you have no idea what they are going through. Also, that just because someone isn't good at one thing, like a particular class, that doesn't mean that they aren't amazing at other things. I think when teachers and the school system put restraints on students, it limits their creativity and growth. Being forced to take a class that isn't interesting at all of helpful for that particular person, will not help them grow into the person they want to become.

Sleeping in Class, Wikimedia Commons

I watched The Sleeper on Youtube by Michael Wesch.

Growth Mindset: Rethink

Made by Cheezburger

Just because someone gives you feedback, does not mean you are wrong. Different people see in different point of views and can maybe see something you can't. When you get deep into your own work, sometimes it is hard to back up and see the big picture. It is helpful for someone else to come in and show you something you might have overlooked or are missing.

Growth Mindset: Feedback

Made by Cheezburger

Feedback is something that I still have trouble with. When someone tells me how I can improve, I take it in a way that means that I am not good at what I am doing, instead of using it to grow. The feedback comments assignments has helped me open up to constructive criticism and also how to give it. Always ask for advice and opinions. Never stop learning from other people.

Growth Mindset: Don't stop!

It is important to never give up on what you are doing. If you give up, you stop learning and therefore growing. Sometimes it is really hard to not give up. There has been many times in college that I just get so exhausted and frustrated that I want to quit, but I never did. I kept fighting and I got into the school of my dreams! You can do wonderful things when you keep going at your full potential. I don't think I have reached my full potential. I think I have more to offer. Everyone always has more to offer if they want to keep growing.

The image is from cheezburger. From Growth Mindset Cats.

Growth Mindset: Too Easy

(image from cheezburger)

I liked this meme because if you only do what is easy, you will never grow. The growth mindset is all about taking on challenges and growing. If something is easy to you, that means you aren't challenging yourself. 

Growth Mindset: Learning more about Growth Mindset

Eight Ways of Looking at Intelligence
This article helped me understand that believing that you can do better or do more does really make a difference in your performance. Also, how important being focused is. Sometimes I will try to read for a class and watch tv or talk on the phone or text at the same time and I think I just read that whole page no problem, but when I finish and try to think about what I just read, I can't remember anything. I need to set aside specific time for certain tasks and not try to do too much at one time. I think that will help me be more productive and efficient. This article also made me realize how much I fall victim to not really learning things. I learn in a shallow manner only to take that quiz or test, then I forget it all the next day. It is also hard when we have the world at our fingertips (google, phones, computers) that make me want to just look everything up instead of really learn it. It is also important to sleep enough, eat well, exercise and take care of myself to be successful in school and at work.

Google Logo

Growth Mindset

I have never heard of Carol Dweck and/or the growth mindset before this class. Honestly, as I was watching the video from Ted Talks, I realized how big a victim I am of having a fixed mindset. When I am faced with a challenge, I immediately shut down and give up. I run to friends and the internet for help before I even try to reason through it with my self. At work I try to pass off the problem to someone else first before I will take care of it. I want everything, school and work related, to be easy and immediate. I am very interested in learning more about the growth mindset. I hope it will help me open up to accepting challenges and not to get so discouraged so easily. There is a class that I am worried about; I think it is going to be the hardest class I've been in. The first day the professor was disappointed that we did not remember specific details from a class most of us took over a year ago, if not longer. I think the growth mindset will help me be more excited about this class instead of scared of it.

Photo by Queen Margaret