Thoughts on Growth Mindset

I have never heard of Carol Dweck before, but her growth mindset theory really resonates with me. I generally do well in school, but this has always been more a product of hard work than inherent skill. People often label others as intelligent or uninformed immediately after hearing them speak on a subject. However, one's proficiency in a subject usually comes from dedicated study. Intelligence is not a characteristic but a practice. Personally, I need to marinate in information for awhile before it starts to click. Because of this, I start assignments fairly early to give my brain time to familiarize itself with the content. One of my main goals this semester is to approach learning in a more relaxed manner. By this, I mean putting in the same amount of effort but having less stress. Learning the material, rather than getting a good grade, is the priority. Stress only inhibits learning. When making mistakes is allowed and normalized (as with the growth mindset), stress (at least for me) decreases dramatically.

Created by Jessica Ottewell and found on her flickr