Growth Mindset

What is a growth mindset and why is it important?

Learn how to grow and succeed and apply that to other things
Avoid believing that he was special that he didn't need to work hard
Success is not determined by an ingrained level of ability

Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset:  Leads to different behaviors and results
Growth mindset - fix grades over time; different perspective on intelligence

Build abilities
Can change our own abilities; bring our game to new levels
Receive information on what they could do better next time

FM = Fixed Mindset
GM = Growth Mindset

FM - see effort as a bad thing; when they hit a setback, they thing they are incapable to protect their ego
GM - see effort as a way to grow; they take setbacks as an opportunity to learn and grow

Wow, that was a really good score, you must have tried really hard - GM praise
Wow, that was a really good score, you must be smart - FM praise

We can change mindsets from FM to GM

Managers with FM don't welcome feedback in the work environment

To instill a GM in ourselves and others
1. Recognize that the GM is beneficial and supported by science
2. Learn and teach others how to develop our abilities
3. Listen for your FM voice, talk back with a GM voice; if hear that I can't do it, add "not yet"

Growth mindset is important because it helps us be life-long learners. It helps us learn and grow from our mistakes.

My Growth Mindset Story -
     I have had many growth mindset opportunities in my life. The first one that comes to mind is going through basic training at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Basic training is 6 weeks of fun in the sun with lots of physical and mental training. I had never experienced anything like it and had many days that I didn't want to be there.  However, I decided mentally that I was going to keep going. I'm very competitive and don't like failing. Telling myself that I can do it helped me make it through basic training.
     Another time that I experienced a growth mindset opportunity is survival training in the Air Force. I had to survive for 10 days in the woods with minimal amounts of food. We had to evade captors and travel by night through the cold and wet weather. I once again developed a growth mindset and would not give up.
     The third time I remember developing a growth mindset is when I was laid off from my civil engineering job. I was working as a civil engineer at a surveying and engineering firm. We did mostly residential developments and with the market crash and residential building drop-off in 2009, there wasn't must work for my company. Because of it, I ended up losing my job. Instead of sitting at home feeling sorry for myself, I decided that is was time for a new career. I went back to school to get my teaching license and now teach engineering to high school students. 
     From all three experiences, I learned that there is always an end to the situation, and if I stick my mind to it and stay positive, it can be a good ending. With basic training and survival training, the end result was my success in mental and physical capabilities that I never knew I had. With the change of careers, the end result is a job where I get to teach engineering to students and help them be successful. In any of the situations, I would not change anything. I accomplished my goal in all three situations. If similar situations were to arise, I might push myself a little more physically and mentally knowing now what I can do.