What I think of Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset from Alterledger

Growth Mindset was a much more interesting topic to listen to than I originally expected. He gave some clear insight into the mind and how it affects those with a certain way of thinking and even allowed me to understand my own mindset a bit more clearly.

Even though never hearing of her before I found listening to Dweck's talks allowed me to see more clearly on how my mindset was and is currently. During secondary school I had a very fixed mindset when it came to work, I would attempt what I could and if I failed I simply put it down to the subject or it’s topic being too difficult and would casually shrug it off. Even in subjects I thought I was good at I would occasionally stumble and my teachers would try to encourage me to do better or learn in other ways, but even when I felt some form of guilt after discovering my momentary shortcomings and I became determined to improve I would immediately fall back into not caring and just letting things happen.

Compared to how I am with my personal life, hobbies, etc, my mindset is certainly one of growth. Such as when I bought my first guitar at 17, even though I knew nothing, I felt nothing but sheer determination to play a song. The first one I learnt was “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. I would spend countless hours on and off practicing it even into the late hours when it would annoy my family but when I finally got it to a half decent state I was thrilled.

Another would be when it comes to playing video games, no matter how difficult something may be, whether it be perseverance or just stubbornness I would keep practicing until I could beat a boss or maybe a level at the highest rank.

And with college I feel like I’ve broken out of that fixed mindset as the projects and work are more based around your own creative process instead of a strict manner that it has to be created in. I hope to continue on this path both with college and with who I am as a person as the ability to persevere through the challenging moments feels satisfying when you break through. I’m also excited to learn more about mindset and continue on my path of learning this semester to see how my skills develop.