Exploratory question of “How might developing a growth mindset affect my success?” 

I have tried a couple of strategies and procedures to succeed in different circumstances. Sometimes I feel that I am not content with certain things in my life, such as my present employment, finances, career opportunities, and location. I am confident in my ability to learn new skills and use feedback from outside professionals to help to improve the task that I find to be challenging. By using resources around, me I can evaluate myself to determine what areas I need to work on or consider for personal growth to be possible. 

After completing the “Mindset Assessment” my results described details that mentioned I am moving towards a growth mindset, but I still may be holding back from achieving all that I’m capable of doing. The results of this assessment test do not surprise me at all because there are some areas, I need to work on to improve my knowledge of enhancements. This class, for example, challenges my sense of intelligence because as a psychology major, I am proficient in analyzing concepts, however putting my thoughts on paper proves to be a challenge. However, by adopting a growth mindset I can move past any insecurity I may have in my writing abilities and persevere by trying my best and listening to criticism from my professor and peers. How might developing a growth mindset affect my success? 

“Even Geniuses Work Hard,” by Carol S. Dweck illustrates to readers a strong argument for why people have two distinct perspectives on intelligence and learning. According to decades of research, those with a fixed mindset think that intelligence is an innate quality, while people with a growth mindset think that intellect can be acquired over time. These two seemingly opposite mindsets may produce various classroom behaviors; students with a fixed mindset who prioritize appearing intelligent above all else may forgo significant learning opportunities if it demands the possibility of acknowledging shortcomings. For example, a class peer review can feel incredibly daunting as it can sometimes be hard to not take criticism personally. However, despite at first being taken aback by the comments from classmates, I have since added more anecdotes to my paper so that for my final version I can receive the best grade possible. Though I know my intelligence is not based on my work in this class alone, it would be unwise to disregard help from others if it means my grade is not the highest, I could possibly achieve. In this case, I would be utilizing a growth mindset so that I may learn and do better with each update I make to this essay.

Someday I would like to own a business. A growth mentality will help me avoid becoming complacent along the way in my entrepreneurial endeavors and can help me move forward. As someone who strives to start their own business, I will need to be prepared to have feedback from both customers and potential business partners. If I am not receptive to others’ advice, I may overlook crucial information that could prevent me from succeeding in my endeavors. Being open to other people’s points of view is necessary for productive entrepreneurship. You should frequently reevaluate your product market to fit people's needs, attitudes, and motives which may change over time. You risk mistakes due to oversight in developing relationships between your target audience and satisfying their needs if you become overconfident in your initial interpretation.

Dweck mentioned that students can create a growth attitude by learning from the way teachers grade their work. She mentions, “At one high school in Chicago, when students don't master a particular unit of study, they don't receive a failing grade—instead, they get a grade of Not Yet. Students are not ashamed of that grade because they know that they're expected to master the material, if not the first time, then the next time, or the next.” (479) Every classroom ought to use the word “yet” regularly as it is less intimidating than the word “fails”. Several schools have changed their grading systems to incorporate more growth-mindset criteria by rewarding students who push themselves, are tenacious in the face of difficulties, and demonstrate noticeable development over time. Work that is meaningful encourages learning in the here and now while also encouraging a love of learning and resiliency in the face of challenges.  There are requirements and regulations in several schools and institutions that use various methods of evaluating grades. Sometimes this system can be discouraging to certain students in which a bad grade can be defeated. On the other hand, the grading system does help certain students clearly visualize their strengths and limitations which helps them master their weaker disciplines. Additionally, the general grading system, in which students receive grades from O to A, has relieved some of the burdens by allowing them to focus on their GPAs rather than being judged by their peers.

Similarly, Dweck’s proposed idea, “You Can Grow Your Brain” by Lisa Blackwell relates the brain to being more like a muscle than previously thought, because it changes and gets stronger when it is used. In this case, if one wanted to achieve a growth mindset as Dweck stated one could employ Blackwell’s idea of strengthening their brain to do so. Both theories go hand in hand, as both writers believe that persisting efforts can render results, in this case, those results increase one’s intelligence. Blackwell argues that this holds true for all stages of development due to the cortex's enormous number of microscopic nerve cells, known as neurons, which have branches connecting them to other cells in a complex network. These connections grow and strengthen when pushed, building a more robust and intelligent brain. Through training and employing sound tactics, individuals can enhance their abilities.

Furthermore, the information Blackwell provided proves that everyone has the capacity to learn; the more a person can learn, the easier it becomes to learn new things. I am currently pursuing college and learning new things in each class. The knowledge that is provided by each instructor helps me pass that knowledge to my 8-year-old. This insight can be valuable for kids who might otherwise think they can’t do something or feel that a particular subject is too hard. Encourage your child to engage in learning by reminding them that the more they learn, the easier learning will become. Sometimes I must reassure my son and myself that frustrations are normal and stay encouraged that we both should stick to it, as grit is the key characteristic of success.

Another great read is “Conquering the Freshman Fear of Failure” by David Kirps in which he describes feeling shocked to have been accepted into a university, beating the odds as he saw it because many of his peers in high school did not progress their academic career after high school. He felt nervous as he was sure he would stand out like a sore thumb amongst his colleagues and professors who he assumed would surely be smarter than him. Turns out, years later it was revealed to him that everyone else also suffers from this imposter syndrome in which we all have felt out of place in certain social situations. According to Kirps, “This fear of failing hits poor, minority, and first-generation college students especially hard. If they flunk an exam, or a professor doesn’t call on them, their fears about whether they belong may well be confirmed.” (471) Luckily these feelings do not have to be permanent. By pushing past self-doubt and reaching out to others whether it may be peers or professors, one can stop feeling ostracized by learning that everyone else is also ‘faking it’.  This goes to show that by being receptive to information from others, Kirps was able to utilize a growth mindset on a smaller scale. He pushed past his fear of failure and continued his education.

I am a huge believer due to my current situation that one innate urge that develops and changes over the course of our life is the fear of success. It is frequently regarded as inappropriate and may cause failure anxiety. The patient’s degree of control over someone’s life is also relevant. Those who believe outside forces are in charge are more likely to experience success dread. When I attend a class, I sometimes experience a fear of failure which is common among students who aspire to excel, and it is common among parents to fear that their children may suffer academic failure. Student failure has a variety of causes, such as socioeconomic background, lack of preparation, fear of achievement and failure, and fear of both. The most pernicious factor is the fear of failing, which can make students more inclined to give up on their academics and stop trying. Students who worry about the duties they will have to take on if they succeed frequently experience success anxiety. Lack of preparation might cause students to procrastinate on important tasks like test preparation, finishing important assignments, or filling out college applications. They can also cause them to accomplish the work they should have done along the way but didn't.

Another supporting article in my quest to achieve a growth mindset would be “The Unexpected Benefits of Celebrating Failure” by Astro Teller in which he demonstrated the visions and plans for bringing them to life as the components of great dreams. He points out that for the Google X project, you would find engineers working alongside fashion stylists proving that it takes all types of intelligent people to complete a project successfully. Even the greatest ideas require input from people from all walks of life to produce a successful concept. Even so, some projects get scrapped due to external forces such as funding or feasibility despite being a great idea in theory. Automated vertical farming, which uses 100 times less land and 10 times less water than traditional farming, had a project terminated last year. It was going to cost over a million dollars to design and construct the first lighter-than-air, variable-buoyancy cargo ship, but it has the potential to reduce the cost, time, and carbon footprint of shipping without requiring runways. Due to the tight feedback loops that are built into how business is structured, they are unable to invest millions of dollars to obtain the first indication of whether they are on the right track.

Teller proceeds to mention that to build a full system, the moonshot factory is working on innovative, yet hazardous concepts. They put a lot of effort into making it safe to fail to make it safe for individuals to work on bold ideas. Teams receive bonuses for finishing their tasks and are rewarded for eliminating their ideas as soon as the evidence is shown. Unbridled optimism does not have to fear skepticism because it helps every idea reach its full potential.

“The Unexpected Benefits of Celebrating Failure” introduces an interesting concept of creating a positive environment for failure. Rather than perpetuating the status quo in which we turn our nose up at failed ideas, it provides room for growth by allowing failure to persist to learn from any mistakes that could have been made along the way. Furthermore, it allows for the exploration of concepts without the pressure of needing to be right. This can breed a more intelligent society as we learn what will and will not work. It requires people to experiment, try different ideas, and occasionally fail, which means accepting a certain level of risk. Failure-learn-improve mentality helps reduce risk and helps companies grow. I do believe that celebrating failure has limits. Failure is a learning experience, but it is not always something to celebrate. If you make a mistake and identify the underlying cause, you will have defined what a failure of that specific process looks like. Finding those failure thresholds should be commended since they give us a way to determine whether we are failing or succeeding. Yet, continuing to make the same error is scarcely excused.

By comparing fixed and growth mindsets we can conclude that a growth mindset is the most beneficial for society and self to adopt. Rather than staying stagnant and not learning new skills a person can push themselves past their comfort zones to better themselves. Since we have learned that the brain is more similar to a muscle than previously thought because it changes and gets stronger when it is used, we can conclude that the best way to grow as individuals is to keep educating ourselves on unfamiliar topics.  Through training and employing sound tactics, individuals can enhance their abilities. Even something as simple as confiding in peers can educate an individual on a social level; learning that you are not alone in your experiences can help you feel more connected to society. In turn, taking into consideration other people’s thoughts can also further your success in other areas. When we accept criticism from those close to us, we allow ourselves a new perspective that can aid us on a personal, professional, or educational level.

How might developing a growth mindset affect my success? A growth mindset can increase productivity and success by encouraging adaptability, resilience, and a love of learning. I can improve my innovation and collaboration in life by accepting challenges, persevering through failure, and learning from failures.

The most important advice for helping myself and others is from “Conquering the Freshman Fear of Failure” by David Kirps to get over the fear of failing is to acknowledge that failure is an inevitable part of life, show compassion for oneself, and realize that every failure will require you to try again and learn from it. The only way to avoid failure is to accept it as an essential aspect of life, and it's critical to understand that every failure will require you to persevere and learn from your mistakes. Understanding that every failure is an opportunity to learn and try again is also critical. Finally, it's critical to understand that everyone makes errors and that, if you do as well, you may be presented with the opportunity to learn from them.

“Works Cite”

Blackwell, Lisa. “You Can Grow Your Brain.” Health and Science. Blackboard, uploaded by

Instructor Jennifer Atkins-Gordeeva, Spring 2023,

https://bb-pulaskitech.blackboard.com/. 

Dweck, Carol.  “Even Geniuses Work Hard.” UA-PTC Composition Mix, edited by Erica Wnek,

Norton & Company, 2020. pp.474-480.  

Kirp, David L. “Conquering the Freshman Fear of Failure.” UA-PTC Composition Mix , edited by Erica Wnek, Norton & Company. 2020 pp. 471-473.  

“Take the Mindset Assessment to learn more about your mindset, Mindset Works, 2015,  

https://blog.mindsetworks.com/what-s-my-mindset. Access 10 Apr. 2023. 

Teller, Astro. “The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure,” YouTube, 9 May 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t13Rq4oc7A. Accessed 10 Apr. 2023.