my thoughts on a growth mindset

I've never heard of Carol Dweck before today; I had never heard the term "growth mindset" either. However, I feel like I have experienced some parts of the growth mindset during my formative years that Dweck talks about. My parents were always tough (and still are) when it came to education and learning; these two things were important because they allowed us to become better. I remember my dad always saying that we (my siblings and I) should read ahead of the scheduled readings or do practice problems that weren't assigned. It can be challenging, but it's all about putting in work and effort. He still tells us to get to know the "smart" or successful people because we should be want to be like them and learn from them. I think these things embody a growth mindset. I also believe that a growth mindset can be applied outside of academia, such as in one's career/work. 

I thought this picture served as a good reminder to encourage a growth mindset. I know I have those thoughts on the right sometimes. (Source: Pinterest) 

There are times when I do have a fixed mindset, especially as I've gotten older and met different kinds of people. To me, a fixed mindset can sort of confine creativity. I worry about my grades and transcript. I'm afraid of failure, so I'm scared of challenges and going out of my comfort zone. Failure has a negative connotation, but I like how Dweck attempts to change the meaning behind it. Failure doesn't mean we just stop; it just means we haven't gotten there yet and we should learn from it and continue. 

I hope to cultivate and embrace a growth mindset throughout the rest of the semester and future endeavors.