Do you have a dream but are often told that it is an impossible one to achieve?
Being a K-pop star seems like an insurmountable task. However, there are still K-pop trainees who manage to achieve their goals. They persevere during gruelling trainings because they possess the correct mindset – the growth mindset.
Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?
The hare was so certain that he would win that he sat down and went to sleep during the race.
The tortoise just plodded on and kept going, always thinking that he had a chance of winning. When the hare woke up in horror that the tortoise was ahead of him, he started running as fast as he could, but he was just too late; the tortoise had won.
So, what made the outcome of the story unexpected? It’s got everything to do with mindsets.
The hare had a fixed mindset. He believed that his innate ability would always mean that he would win any race no matter what he did.
The tortoise had a growth mindset. He believed that he needed to work hard and keep going at it consistently if he wanted to win. He was also not afraid of failure or he would never have agreed to race the hare.
What is Fixed or Growth Mindset?
These two different beliefs lead to different behaviour, and also to different results. For example, students with a growth mindset were shown to increase their grades over time. Those who believed that their intelligence was ingrained did not; in fact, their grades got worse.
People with these two mindsets actually think differently and also react to information differently.
In particular, they respond differently to information about performance.
In people with a fixed mindset, the brain is most active when they are being given information about how well they have done, for example, test results or grades.
In people with a growth mindset, the brain is most active when they are being told what they could do to improve.
Dealing with Setbacks
These mindsets also cause people to deal with setbacks differently.
People with a fixed mindset are very discouraged by setbacks, because a setback dents their belief in their ability. They tend to become uninterested and give up.
People with a growth mindset view a setback as an opportunity to learn. They tend to try harder in an effort to overcome the problem.
“The moment that we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity”
Mindsets in Life
Mindsets are not just important for learning new skills. They can affect the way that we think about everything.
For example, a growth mindset can help you recover from illness because you believe that you can do something about the illness. They can help you achieve in sport, at work and can also help you grow and develop in relationships.
Which mindset do you have today? It is never too late to develop the growth mindset in you. Here is what you can do…
Yes, hard work, effort, and persistence are all important, but not as important as having that underlying belief that you are in control of your own destiny. Having a growth mindset (the belief that you are in control of your own ability, and can learn and improve) is the key to success. Cultivating a growth mindset could be the single most important thing you ever do to help you achieve success.
What are some of the things you can say to yourself that will help you cultivate a growth mindset?
If you are a student leader, what can you say to your peers to help them believe that skills, intellect and talents can be developed?
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