Doesn't this picture make you think and wonder or wonder and think? It's hanging on our living room wall, near the entrance. My husband thinks it's a ridiculous picture but I LOVE IT! I mean, it's a catstronaut, bearing the American flag, beaming with pride and glory. Cool Cat!
Dr. Seuss who coined that famous quote on our living room wall has quite a brilliant mind. I love his literary and illustrative works such as:
- "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" ("The Grinch's heart grew three sizes that day"),
- "The Cat in the Hat" (“I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, but we can have lots of good fun that is funny.”); and
- "The Lorax" ("I'm going to continue to speak for the trees")
His works all convey positive values and social relevance that are loved by kids of all ages. Through his colorful depiction of his characters' adventures, he shared with us the power of imagination, to process the world through a child's mind- untainted- and read with our eyes shut.
FREE YOUR MIND
In our topic today, let's attempt to read with our eyes shut. Yes, you read that right.
In my last article, TODAY A READER, TOMORROW A LEADER, I made mention of how books can unlock the brain power. Books feed our minds. But what does it take to free your mind and LET IT GROW?
The word FREE (Old English freo) means "exempt from; not in bondage, acting of one's own will". It is also translated as "noble; joyful," from Proto-Germanic *friaz "beloved; not in bondage". I find it very interesting that the word FREE is somehow related to the word LOVE. In short, being free means knowing, choosing and doing what you love. FREE WILL. YES, INDEED.
DWECK'S THEORY OF MINDSET
Professor Carol Dweck has an engaging theory about mindset. As one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation and mindsets at Stanford University, her research is focused on why people succeed or fail and what’s within one's control to encourage success.
Dweck suggests that entity beliefs (beliefs that human attributes are either fixed or changeable) are essential parts of what MOTIVATES a person to PERFORM. These beliefs INFLUENCE people's goals, their level of interests, the efforts they put in to pursue these interests, and their possible behavior in dealing with negative outcomes. Different mindsets are said to lead to different responses when dealing with challenging tasks or failure. In her theory, mindsets fall under 2 major categories:
- FIXED mindset or people who believe that attributes are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable.
- GROWTH mindset or people who believe that abilities can be cultivated and reinforced through perseverance and dedication.
For most people, one mindset is predominant over the other. Some can even easily switch from one to another. It is, however, the growth mindset that creates the will to learn and achieve great accomplishments. It is this mindset that we MUST harness for it is WITHIN OUR CONTROL.
Brains and talent or the so-called inborn abilities are mere springboards. It's the resilience, that “grit", that "spark", that intense passion that drives and sustains the momentum of success.
HOW CRITICAL IS IT TO HAVE A GROWTH MINDSET?
Based on the above comparison, these mindsets are poles apart when it comes to processing challenges and failures. The growth mindset sees failures as opportunities while a fixed mindset sees failures as limitations. The growth mindset greets challenges with open arms, while the fixed mindset shuns, in fact, fears, the very thought of being challenged.
People with growth mindsets are not afraid of trying and experimenting new things. They don't fear the unknown, they seek it out. These people use mistakes as drawing boards to recognize errors, make corrections and test the waters again. It is always a process of rejecting what doesn't work and accepting what does AFTER each experimentation. The possibilities are ENDLESS and they YEARN to LEARN.
MAKING THE BIG SWITCH
So how do you make the big switch from fixed mindset to growth mindset? How do you unlock and harness your full potentials? Well, with a key, of course. The key is to LEARN it.
The first thing to realize is that growth mindset does not grow overnight. The switch is a PROCESS of LEARNING and UNLEARNING. Here are some thoughts to ponder on:
Life is not perfect.
We all have weaknesses, even Superman does, right? Accept that as a fact and STOP HIDING IN DENIAL. It's the best scapegoat there is, and the hardest one to cure. Weaknesses are meant to be overcome not to be hidden away in some dungeon inside your mind. List down your weaknesses, assess them one by one, and tell yourself that you will do whatever it takes to turn that weakness into a strength.
Challenges are opportunities.
There is always room for improvement and challenges offers us that room. Should you fail a challenge thrown your way, clear the air, open your mind, and ask yourself "how did it all happen?" It took me three attempts to pass my driver's written exam. The first time I failed I was frustrated. The second time I failed, I was depressed and cried. But did I ever stop trying? Hell no. Each failure gave me the opportunity to learn from my mistakes until finally, I got it all figured out (100%) on my third and successful attempt. My biggest take away from that experience is to never ever underestimate anything. I thought (my mindset) the exam would be easy. It wasn't and I had to fail twice to learn that the hard way.
Yearn to Learn.
There's always something new to learn - a different angle, a new approach. Learning should not exhaust the mind for even Albert Einstein said that "Once you stop learning, you start dying." Your brain evolves each time you learn something new. Its structure changes every time it acquires new learning. What did Mahatma Gandhi said about learning? Learn as if you were to live forever.
Learn to Fail, Fail to Learn.
Do not be afraid to fail. We need to experience it for it is part of the learning process.
It is a very acceptable philosophy. Below is an excerpt from WIKIVERSITY that explains the VALUE of FAILURE:
The basic principals or philosophy of learning by failing are:
Failing is not bad, it is an opportunity for personal growth and learning.
Learning cannot begin until you fail.
Learning cannot begin until you learn to fail.
Failing first teaches you what you don't know and then helps you learn.
Anything that has been done was once considered impossible because of failing."
Aspire to Be the Exception.
Breaking out of cycles of negativity, anger, self-pity, and feelings of worthlessness is easier said than done. Why? Because it is so much easier to fail than to excel. It is so much easier to fall into this vicious, poisonous cycle than to break out of it.
Rise above the rest. Progress is achieved only by those who dare to break the familiar patterns. Who taught me that? My cats. Weird as it may sound, I learned some really important stuff from my furry friends. You see, they are the absolute non-conformists. They are unconcerned with the opinions of others and do not seek approval from anyone, even in the face of great humiliation. They push their own boundaries and create their own rules as they go along. That is how you wear a winning face in a losing situation.
Treasure the Experience More than the Reward.
People with the growth mindset find joy in the process of learning even more than the knowledge itself. It's like reading a book. If your goal is to read 1,000 books in your lifetime, there is no way you can achieve that if you don't have the passion for reading. Passion is the key to achieving. Your brain will continue to process every new learning it encounters but the fuel that turns the engine on is your DRIVE, your PASSION.
Avoid shortcuts.
Learn and unlearn gradually. Again, as we have mentioned before, growth does not happen overnight. It needs time and patience. If you rush the process, the process will fail to achieve its goal. Take these scenarios for example:
- Toddlers take their first baby step before they run.
- The singer hits one note after the other to complete a song.
- Each stroke of a paint brush is a part of a painter's masterpiece.
- Each step on a ladder elevates us one step higher than the other until we reach the top.
The formula for success has no shortcut and those who want to cut on edges just don't get it. Learning fast is not a guarantee that you will learn well.
A Good Deed is Its Own Reward.
Doing the right thing should always be recognized and rewarded. But wouldn't it be far greater if one expects nothing in return except the satisfaction of a job well done? Some would say that's rubbish. We all want to be rewarded. True. However, that kind of reward is short term. But what do you really get from an accomplishment? Doesn't it make you proud? Doesn't it earn you a good reputation? That is how a good deed becomes its own reward.
There is only one way to avoid criticism - do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
Whoever you are or whatever you do, you simply cannot please everyone. Sooner or later, people will criticize you or your work, whether you like it or not. Remember that 80's song by the Police "Every breath you take"? That song actually sums it all up - every step you take, someone will be watching you!
The trouble is we live in an era where most of us would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. We take selfies which we promote on social media like it's the very air we breathe and expect people to always LIKE what we post. Something about that is just NOT RIGHT.
Most of us dread criticism like a plague! It's like a bitter pill to swallow. But the truth of the matter is criticism is merely FEEDBACK. Be it good or bad, feedback is VALUABLE INFORMATION meant to be RELAYED and ACCEPTED. What we do with it and how we deal with it is all a matter of CHOICE.
Grow Your Grit.
In other words, have COURAGE, RESOLVE and STRENGTH OF CHARACTER. We are not born with grit. It grows within a person with every bit of experience and learning we acquire. The good news about grit is that it develops and stays unless you yourself take it away. It is the extra mile that goes a long way. It is the foresight that allows us to see beyond the gifts and talents we were born with.
Own it. Seize it. Live it.
If you truly want to switch on your growth mindset, you need to be prepared and BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY DECISION AND ACTION YOU MAKE. It's hard work that pays off eventually.
Just think about it. You have always longed to earn a degree, get a higher pay, land that big promotion, or just be recognized and respected by your peers. But what are you doing about it? Are you doing something to make it happen? How can you seize the day if you can't even seize the moment? In the end, when all is said and done, we only regret the chances we didn't take.
IN A NUTSHELL
THINK, PONDER AND WONDER ABOUT IT.
Taking the higher road and SWITCHING ON your growth mindset is like taking A LEAP OF FAITH.
It's a LIFE ALTERING experience once you embark on it.
BE BRAVE. TAKE RISKS. ALLOW THE UNEXPECTED and REAP THE REWARDS!
#ThinkAndWonder
#WonderAndThink
#GrowthMindset
#TakeALeapOfFaith
#HRHouR
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