Having a Growth Mindset

Over the Mountain and Through the Woods

The power of believing you can improve really spoke to me in a few different ways. Grades were definitely a hug part of my home life growing up, honestly they still are. Even now that I’m in college my Mom still gets disappointed in low scores and it’s hard not to be consumed by the idea of getting A’s versus the idea of getting knowledge. To be fair, I feel like this mindset is pretty strongly reinforced by everyone around us – the only way to get a good job is to have good grades so it’s no surprise that the majority of college students are focused more on that then “learning” which doesn’t seem to have as much quantitative value. But of course learning does have value and I’m terrified of entering the work force and being exactly what Dr. Dweck describes – a member of a generation who can’t get through a work day without an award. What really spoke to me from this Ted Talk, however, was the letter Dr. Dweck received from a 13-year-old boy. “I now realize I’ve wasted most of my life” he says. I mean wow! How can that not hit you right in the gut? If he’s 13 and wasting his life, what have I been doing? I know that I am guilty of seeking out easy solutions – It’s nice to feel like you’re good at things. Like you’re smart and capable and prepared for the world ahead of you. But as Dr. Dweck continues to point out, staying in your comfort zone prepares you for nothing! As I enter into my senior year this could not be more applicable. It would be easy to skate by this year, there’s little I can do to improve my grades and I’m not even in very many hours. But there are so many things I can throw my energy into and so many ways I can seek new challenges this year! I hope that even in my 11^th hour at The University of Oklahoma I can find new ways to engage and enjoy the people and community around me!