Growth Mindset: Meme Beyond School

(Beauty.  created with Canva.)

This challenge, I decided to generate a meme through Canva.  I had generated a different one through the automotivator for a tech tip and it was nice, though I have to give it to Canva for being all the more creative in their choices and style.  I love using that site now!!  The original photo had 'Sunset Chaser' and the text underneath, but I decided to add in the above text that was still offered through Canva's choices.  It all flowed so well together and just made sense.  

I'm combining this meme post along with Growth Beyond School, because I just wanted to touch base with where my life is headed or where it isn't headed and how it currently is.  Well right now, I have been applying the aspect of Growth Mindset into my life, mostly at work and just personally with other people.  I used to worry about what others thought of myself and sometimes, I still do.  I've learned over time that it doesn't matter what others may think, because that is their thought process and not our own.  The fact is that, we should worry more so about how we handle certain things and situations rather than others that 'interfere' with what we know and/or don't.  Whether we feel stupid is solely on the reaction from others and I believe the focus should be within, because we only believe we are stupid if we say that we are.  As for where my life may be headed and not?  I am still unsure.  I am just eager to finish up my last year of school and go with the flow to see where life takes me.  The end result may not be what I plan or expect, but I hope to be happy along the way, even through the struggles, because that is what makes us who we are.

Growth Mindset: Meme of the Week

There was a photo that stuck out to me as I was going through the meme's for Growth Mindset.  Though it's not exactly a meme, it still relates to me in some way.  I chose the photo from Daring Greatly.  This time I decided to choose a photo, but hopefully next time I can create a meme.

(Daring Greatly Checklist.)

I chose this specific photo above to discuss, because it kind of makes me laugh inside.  I see a psychologist about once a week or every other week, depending on what suits me best at the time.  She talked quite a bit about Daring Greatly and utilized the Growth Mindset aspect in our talks.  I actually pitched Growth Mindset to her, because she actually had never heard of it before, even though she had always been incorporating it into our sessions and with her other sessions.  I haven't gotten to read the book quite yet and would hope to here soon.  I love the idea of owning up to what is listed here and pushing through boundaries.  I am beginning to open myself up, as usual, slowly but surely and that surely is growing in me.  I can feel it and it's an amazing feeling.  I hit rough patches, but I bring myself back up and with my psychologist, she helps me pull through.  That's what she's there for though.  I've learned a lot in this and will continue to learn and grow.

(Cover of Daring Greatly.)

Week 8: Growth Mindset

Looking back at my previous post on Growth Mindset, I told myself that I'd learn more and that I wanted to as the semester progressed.  I haven't kept to my word.  After realizing the workload that I've encountered and dealt with, it seemed difficult to learn more about it.  I'm grateful that this Review Week is giving me the opportunity to dig a tad deeper into the topic, since I haven't been lately.  

I reviewed the different dimensions of growth chart and it reminded me a lot of what I learned in my sessions.  I discussed in my previous post that I was deemed with 'fear of failure.'  Though I have this issue, that doesn't mean that I can't grow out of it.  And all of what I've marked off for myself, usually related to my past experiences and even some now.  The reason why I chose this image below is also the reason why I have difficulties with progressing out of the fixed-mindset as I am comfortable where I am.

(Comfort Zone.  Link.)

The few dimensions that seem to have grown within me are: finding motivation within myself, attempting to set my own goals, being open to any/all feedback, and willing to learn from my mistakes.  These are very important, granted that they are all important, but they speak to me.  I've opened up to each of these little by little and it has worked.  Though I still struggle in finding motivation and lack setting goals, I am still trying to get through them.  Each of the other aspects are also ones that I will slowly be improving on as the year goes on.  The most that I am trying to push through this semester in all of my courses and with handling work is staying completely positive.

(Positivity Jar.  Flickr.)

Positivity can be very difficult to uphold and maintain, but just thinking and believing in yourself can get you far.  So far it has helped me stress just a tad less and it is helping me get through my assignments without thinking of the end result as failure, but that the process is worth it in the end.  Whether I receive a good grade or not, I will take it in terms of learning from my mistake and receive the feedback that I need.  This course is great in that aspect.  I am able to receive the right kind of feedback and also provide myself with the chance of redoing an assignment to better improve on my work.  The overall task and process of the assignment is the goal rather than the end result as a whole.

This class, like the rest, has definitely given me the challenge of setting my own schedule/priorities and goals with all of my homework and with managing my social/work life as well.  Not only that but they also provide me with the ability to learn that I can try new things, take risks, practice, ask plenty questions and improve my confidence through all of those without feeling as if I will fail at the task in the end.  There is still a lot of room for improvement overall and I am willing to take on these challenges one at a time, until I can reach my full potential.

(Just believe.  Flickr.)

Growth is a Mindset

After watching the videos posted from Carol Dweck about 'Growth Mindset,' got me to think about what my psychologist talked with me about during one of our sessions.  I think it is healthy to talk with someone about how to better improve the way we think about ourselves and others.

She told me that she noticed a recurring theme in each of our sessions and those were about not coping well with failing and/or just completely avoiding it altogether.  Because I do so, I have fear of failure.  It is apparent in my generation and those that are around my age in general.  I fear failure in a sense that I would rather not do a task if I know I will fail at it in the end or if I am afraid that I will, because I may think something is too hard or I am embarrassed about what others may think of me so I tend to avoid the task completely.  I freeze and I freak out on the inside.  This all applies to when I am taking a course at school.  I tend to try and find the classes that I can 'breeze' through or not have so much work that I have to think about it.  I even avoid certain classes that involve discussing the topics given each week and/or presenting certain material to the class, because I am afraid of embarrassing myself by appearing unknowledgeable in the topic or just plain dumb.

I can truthfully say and believe that I am at a fixed-growth mindset and I really do want to learn more about this subject in order to improve the way I think about growth and learning.  This has peaked my interest since I came across the realization of how I view myself and my capabilities.  Currently I am still battling having to change the way I am thinking about how I can improve the way I view my classes, because I know one class in particular this semester that I am not so excited about.  I am not interested to the point of letting go of the class, this is in part because of my fear of not passing the class anyway and just plain embarrassing myself because I may not keep up with the readings and/or just appear interested in the topic at all.  This applies to not exactly knowing where my goals during this semester in my courses will lead.  I just hope and pray for the right answer.

(Finding Inspiration.  (Somewhere in Twitter).)