The Right Mindset

"Did you win?" Chances are, you have said this to a friend or family member who is returning from a competitive event. To most, a person's merit is heavily based on their success, smarts, or skill. Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, believes that this mindset, which she coins a "fixed mindset," is a toxic, eventually stagnant one. In her TED Talk, Dweck proposes a healthy antithesis to the fixed mindset: the "growth mindset." In heavy contrast to the set-in-stone, win-or-fail nature of the fixed mindset, the growth mindset promotes learning, adaptability, and an eagerness for challenge. Possessors of a growth mindset view challenges or failures not as an slight against their intelligence, but, rather, as an obstacle to overcome -- an opportunity to learn from strife.

Personally, I possess attributes of both mindsets. I read a lot growing up. I played the violin. I excelled in my classes. As a result, my parents would praise me for what they viewed as intelligence. This mindset stuck with me throughout school; I took any mediocre grade, any mistake in a violin piece as a personal affront. I eventually grew out of this mindset, but the adverse reaction to failure still remains. I tend quickly toward frustration when I do not understand something I believe that I should understand.

Conversely, I believe I also possess attributes of the growth mindset as well. I may become vexed when presented with an issue that I believe should be a non-issue for me, but it only incites me to keep striving to understand. I think that the biggest influence that helped promote this mindset was breakdancing. I was naturally very, very bad at it. I was initially frustrated that I couldn't seem to learn anything. But I kept at it, and started to see results. It didn't matter that I was naturally bad; I could just keep working at it and getting better! Eventually, I gave it up due to a complete aversion to the breakdancing culture and no small amount of minor injuries. However, that mindset stuck with me. With enough determination and effort, I could do anything.

*[ ] 3. explains how you will apply this understanding to your experience at The Iron Yard