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Learning about the Growth Mindset

Listening to Carol Dweck speak about the growth mindset kind of confirmed a lot of suspicions that I myself had thought about.  Although I had never heard of her or her research before, what she was saying sounded instantly familiar, and I think I have had some of those same experiences in my own life.  I had always found almost everything in High School very easy, and when I was confronted by more difficult academic situations my freshman year, many times my response was, like the EKG illustration, to shut off my brain.  I have moved on somewhat past that, but I still feel like that is still my immediate instinct.
Source: Pixabay

Learning to solve a Rubik’s cube was actually something that helped me to see what I was doing wrong as far as my learning mindset.  I had resisted learning how to do it for many years, but eventually a good friend started walking me through the various steps “algorithms” for solving a cube.  It is a relatively simple process, but involves a lot of practice and memorization, like learning any skill.  It took me a couple of weeks to be able to confidently and (relatively) quickly solve a cube, but I learned so much about myself and how I learned as I did that. Thinking back on that experience I realize that I enjoyed it so much precisely because I had left my “easy” comfort zone.
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  1. VOctober 9, 2017 at 12:18 AM

    Hi Blake, I have similar experience with you about shutting down my brain, except mine didn't "shut down" until I enter sophomore year where all the work loads really make me feel super overwhelm. And then just like you, I also learn something new to "encourage" myself to take risk and that is playing pool. I find that learning to play pool really helps me concentrate more and definitely have to be more observant. Playing pool too, is a way for me to do something I have never done before!

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