Growth Mindset: My Potential

(Potential Pondering, web source: Growth Mindset Blogspot)

This is something I find myself doing a lot. I think nearly everyday I think about ramifications of my decisions, and whether or not they live up to my potential. Especially since post-grad life is looming over me like a big... heavy... dark... stormy... cloud... I know that my one decision about where to go after this will definitely change the course of my life forever. I also know that it will decide the course of my potential. I will only be able to achieve certain things if I make certain decisions at the right time. Whew. That's a lot to think/worry about. Mostly worry. It's okay. I'm fine. Everything's fine.

Growth Mindset: Create Your Own

This is a quote that reminds me to always be grateful for my schooling and for the opportunity to learn. While the endless assignments and papers and readings threaten to kill my drive, I remember that learning is the one thing that you can never do enough of. The mind can only gain from education; it will never tire from it. Plus, Leonard Da Vinci is one of the most incredible minds the world has seen, so I have no problem taking his word for it.

(Learning Quote, web source: Canva)

Growth Mindset: Embracing Uncertainty

(Growth Mindset Meme, web source: GrowthMindsetMemes)

I chose this meme because I think it's something that I need to work on. I am often anxious to accept things that aren't undeniable fact. I don't like to stand on ground that isn't firm, which would mean that "embracing uncertainty" is challenging.

I think this is something that a lot of college students struggle with, especially with regard to future plans. We study and struggle for four years and then are expected to graduate and enter the "real world." We often have ideas for how we want our lives to work out, but are largely uncertain about how specifically they will. I think this meme addresses that well!

Growth Mindset: Finding Similarities in My Classes

I am taking 2 graduate courses, my capstone, this class, and an intermediate language course this semester. These may not seem to have a common thread, but after using this Growth Mindset, I think there is one. One of the biggest things I have noticed this semester is that I truly enjoy all of my classes. I enjoy (most of) the subject matter; the assignments, while definitely challenging, are not entirely overwhelming; and I'm really learning a lot.

When separating out all of my classes and taking a look at the most exciting challenge in each, I find that one thing is common to all of them: I really want to get as much out of these courses as I can. I am far past the point of taking classes for requirements, and am really enjoying getting to choose exactly what I want to learn. Thus, I find myself worrying that I am not getting every single thing that I can out of these classes, and performing up to the level that I should be. 

(Lack of enthusiasm!!, web source: Public Domain Pictures)

I think this Growth Mindset is applicable to things past just classes. I also feel like, in everything I do in my life, I should be seeking to get the absolute most I can get out it. I shouldn't let experiences pass by that leave me with the bare minimum that I could get out of them. 

I think this was a useful challenge in that I feel like I've had this sense weighing on me, but I haven't ever put it into words. I think seeing it out in front of me will hopefully inspire me to achieve these goals and rise to these challenges that my classes are facing me with. I have certainly had a busy semester, but I shouldn't let that be an excuse for lackluster experiences.

You get out what you put in!

Growth Mindset

I had never heard of Carol Dweck before watching these videos, but I find the topics to be somewhat familiar to me.

As much I would like to say that I am a part of the "Growth" mindset, I find myself in the "Fixed" one. A lot of my educational experience has placed the greatest value in receiving A's in every class, or learning just as much as I can to pass a test (standardized, AP, benchmarks, etc.). My frustrations with myself have come from not receiving the grade, not necessarily that I didn't learn the information.

I've learned a lot about my style of learning being at OU. I have found myself, in particular instances or classes, learning more towards the "Growth" mindset. Especially in the classes that I am the most passionate about, I find myself wanting to do all assignments to learn the most I can while I am in that class. The grade means less to me, as I feel it will automatically come after learning everything I can. I think it took the first couple of years of college to find that out, as I went through the process of changing my majors and finding what I truly wanted to study.

That's one of the reasons I wanted to take this class. I am in Latin right now and a lot of our curriculum is placed in Ancient Rome and certain mythological aspects of their history. I found myself at a complete loss when we would talk about these kinds of topics, so I sought out as way to combat that! Coming from that, I dropped a couple of classes I thought I wanted/needed to take in order to better root myself in courses that would keep my interest and begin to strengthen the "Growth" mindset in myself.

(Growth vs. Fixed, web source: Flickr)

I chose this picture because I really do feel like this is one of the best visual representations of this concept. A "Growth" mindset leads to endless opportunities and continual advancement while the "Fixed" mindset leaves you stuck worrying about failures or not meeting expectations that are sometimes unrealistically placed on children.