Mindset

Think back to the last programming project you felt accomplished completing. At the start, you might have thought, “Is it possible for me to do this?”

And, whether it was for personal interest, a class, or your job, you may have: given yourself time to become familiar with the necessary tools and become good at them; tried different approaches until you got the results you wanted; enjoyed solving the little challenges that came up; and wanted your peers’ feedback on your ideas. This mindset is known as the growth mindset. It is the mental attitude that our basic abilities can be developed with dedication and hard work. In other words, with a growth mindset, we believe we can learn anything we do not yet know.

Now consider some other skills, like applying number theory for cryptography, presenting your work to the entire team, writing clear documentation and pull request descriptions, or managing a large team. For some of us, thinking about doing some of those things might cause some kind of discomfort. We might think “ Someone else can do that. It’s just not something I could ever do.” Or find ourselves worrying “what if people think I am unintelligent” or “what if I fail in front of everyone?” This self-talk can signal a fixed mindset, which is the mental attitude that our basic abilities like intelligence and talent are fixed traits. With a fixed mindset, you might find yourself saying, “I can only do certain things, and this is or isn't one of them." and view situations as tests that reveal which abilities you were born with.

With a growth mindset, however, you might view that same situation as an opportunity to learn and develop your skills. 20 years of research has shown that adopting a growth mindset can have a profound impact on every aspect of our lives. And similar to our abilities to learn new things, it is possible to change your mindset. Here’s how. Be self-aware of your internal dialogue. Strive for progression instead of seeking to produce perfection. Learn from others as you develop your skills.

[Be self-aware.] By being aware of your own thoughts, you might notice self-doubt about doing things outside of your comfort zone. But you can redirect your focus to learning and improving instead. If we stopped thinking “I’m just not a people person,” or “I’m not a theory person,” and instead “I can get better at it if I practice enough” or “This is a chance to develop my skills”, we give ourselves the chance to even try in the first place.

[Progression, not perfection.] And when you do try, look beyond your results. Recognize your progress and growth by comparing to where you were before, and celebrate your perseverance -- how you kept going even when it was difficult.

[Learn from others.] You can learn from others. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help and guidance. Remember, every expert was once a beginner.

This week, notice where you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. And the next time you wonder, “Is it possible for me to do this?”, even when the answer is, “Not yet.”, you can pause to see how far you have come. And by embracing a growth mindset, you just might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish!

Here's a chance for you to practice your computational problem solving skills!

Remote: miro board

In-person: printed worksheets + pennies (7 per group)