Grow Your Mindset:

  1. Do you have a hero? Find out if the person had some extraordinary abilities who achieved with little effort or if he/she put significant effort into their achievements.
    • My long time hero is Nelson Mandella. While he was an extraordinary human being, I know that he rose from a small African villager, became a lawyer, went to prison for 27 years, achieved a unified South Africa, ended Apartheid, became President of his country and forgave his oppressors.
    • All of that took an amazing amount of work, perseverance and resilience. Knowing all of that makes him more admirable and more of an inspiration to me.
  2. Do you label your kids? “This is the artist and that one is the scientist? (Dweck, at 81)” Next time, remember that you are not helping them – even though you are provided them with praise. (Dweck’s studies show that praising kids’ ability actually lowers their IQ scores. Growth mindset compliments grow their minds.
  3. More than half of the U.S. belongs to negatively stereotyped groups. These include women, and other groups who are not good at things. Create an environment that teaches a growth mindset to the children in your life – especially those who struggle to achieve in school. Even when a negative label connected to their struggles comes their way, they will be better prepared to learn.