What Does It Mean To Have A Growth Mindset? - Big Life ...

A growth mindset means acceptance (and even celebration of) struggles, with an emphasis on the effort and hard work that lead to success. Signin close We'vesentyouanemailwithalinktoupdateyourpassword. Apasswordresetemailhasbeensenttotheemailaddressonfileforyouraccount,butmaytakeseveralminutestoshowupinyourinbox.Pleasewaitatleast10minutesbeforeattemptinganotherreset. Emailaddress* Password* Lostyourpassword? FirstName LastName Emailaddress* Password* Lostyourpassword?Pleaseenteryouremailaddress.Youwillreceivealinktocreateanewpasswordviaemail. Emailaddress Cancel Noaccountyet? Registeringforthissiteallowsyoutoaccessyourorderstatusandhistory.Justfillinthefieldsbelow,andwe’llgetanewaccountsetupforyouinnotime.Wewillonlyaskyouforinformationnecessarytomakethepurchaseprocessfasterandeasier. CreateanAccount Login Search JournalsPrintablesParentingTweens&teensForadultsBlogContact SGD USD CAD AUD DKK HKD JPY NZD SGD Shoppingcart close Noproductsinthecart. Weallhavebeliefsaboutourabilitiesandtalents.Thesebeliefsformourmindset—andtheyimpacteverythingfromrelationshipstoacademicsuccess.Developingtherightkindofmindsetmeansthedifferencebetweenhidingfromlife’schallengesandhandlingthemwithconfidence. Studiesshowthemindsetassociatedwithafull,happylifeiscalledagrowthmindset.PsychologistandresearcherCarolDweckcreatedthistermafterdecadesofstudyingchildrenwhofacedobstacleswithcuriosityandexcitementratherthanfearoravoidance. Butwhatexactlydoesgrowthmindsetmeanandhowcanwehelpchildrenunderstandit?Readontolearnasimplewaytoexplainthiscriticalconcept,aswellasfourkeyelementsofgrowthmindsettoinstillinyourchildandfamily. FixedVersusGrowthMindsetMeaning Dweckdiscoveredtwowaysofviewingtraitswearebornwith,likeintelligenceandpersonality.Oneistheyarefixed,unabletobechangedordevelopedovertime.Knownasafixedmindset,thiswayofthinkingisassociatedwithfearoffailureandavoidingchallenges. Alternatively,agrowthmindsetmeansqualitieslikeintelligenceandtalentsareonlyastartingpoint.Seeingthebrainasamusclethatgetsstrongerwithpractice,thosewithagrowthmindsetpersistdespiteobstacles.Theywelcomefeedbackasavehicleforself-growth. DefiningaGrowthMindsetForChildren Recently,mysix-year-olddaughterdiscoveredsomethingamazing.“Ilearnedtoridemyscooterbyfallingoffoverandover!”sheproudlyexclaimed.Iknewshehadbeguntograspthemeaningofagrowthmindset. Whenexplaininggrowthmindsettochildren,it’shelpfultostartwiththebasics.Notethatallofushavebeliefsaboutourskillsorintelligence.Everyoneourchildrenknow—friends,teachers,andfamilies—hasamindset.Believingwecanlearnandgrowbetterfromhardworkandstrugglesisaspecialkindofmindset:agrowthmindset. Youmightsay,“Agrowthmindsetmeansbelievinginthepowerofyourselfandyourbrain.Likeaplantoranylivingthingthatgrows,our brainsarecapableofchangingandadaptingtonewinformation.Ourbrainsgetstrongerwhentheydodifficultthingsandevenwhentheymakemistakes.Thisiswhytryingsomethingneworchallengingcanactuallymakeusmoreintelligent.” 4HallmarksofaGrowthMindset  1.Effortandperseverancearekey Earlyinhercareer,Dweckintentionallygaveherstudentsaproblemthatwasslightlytoodifficultforthem.Somereactedwithenthusiasm(“Iloveachallenge!”)andsettowork,whileothersquicklygaveup. Theexcitedstudents—thoseembodyingagrowthmindset—recognizedthechallengeasanopportunitytolearnandgetbetter.Theybelievedeffortandpersistencewouldeventuallyleadtosolvingtheproblem. ”Inthismindset,thehandyou’redealtisjustthestartingpointfordevelopment.Thisgrowthmindsetisbasedonthebeliefthatyourbasicqualitiesarethingsyoucancultivatethroughyourefforts.”-CarolDweck,Mindset Sohowdowecultivateperseverance?Startbyconsideringthewayyoupraise.Praisingchildrenfortheireffortandhardwork,knownasprocesspraise,inspiresperseverance. Processpraisesoundslike: “I’mimpressedbyhowmanystrategiesyoutrieduntilyougotit!” “Icanseehowmuchyoupracticedandlookhowyouimproved!” “Whatagreatimprovementfromyesterday." Growthmindsetmeansbelievingeveryonecanlearnanddevelopandalsofocusingontheeffortandhardworkinvolved. 2.Mistakesandfailurearepartoflearning Afixedmindsetisoftenattherootofachild’sfearoffailure.Believingtheyarebornwithacertainamountofabilityorintelligencemakesanymistakefeelrisky.Eachchallengepresentsapotentialthreatto“lookingsmart.” Conversely,childrenwithagrowthmindsettendtolovelearningandallthatcomeswithit.Ratherthanavoidingmistakesanderrors,theyviewthemasacrucialpartofthelearningprocess.Agrowthmindsetmeansseeingmistakesasevidenceofadevelopingbrain. “Thinkaboutyourbiggestmistakes….Theyprobablytaughtyoumorecourage,strength,andwisdomthananysuccesscouldhave.”-RachelSimmons,ResilienceExpert Somesimplewaystopromoteacceptanceofmistakesinclude: Boastaboutyourownmistakesandwhatyoulearned Introduce“FailureFridays”(adayoftheweekwhenyoureadaboutafamouspersonwhofailed) Giveyourchildahigh-fiveeachtimeamistakeismadeorsay,“Mistakesmeanyouaretrying!” DiscusstheacronymforFAIL(FirstAttemptInLearning) 3.ThepowerofYET Thereisareasonthis3-letterwordisconsideredmagic.Addingittoanyphrasecreatesamonumentalshiftinperception:“Ican’tdothis...YET.”Nootherwordcapturesthemeaningofgrowthmindsetquitelikeit.Dwecknotes“YET”can“givechildrengreaterconfidence,givethemapathintothefuturethatcreatesgreaterpersistence.”  Encourageyourchildtoadd“YET”totheendofanystatementaboutlearning.Watchhowtheirfeelingsshiftandpotentialgrowswiththeadditionofthispowerfulword. Insteadof:Ican’twriteaparagraphTry:Ican’twriteaparagraphYET Insteadof:Idon’tknowhowtorideabikeTry:Idon’tknowhowtorideabikeYET Insteadof:Ican’tgetanyonetoplaywithmeTry:Ican’tgetanyonetoplaywithmeYETOtherideasforharnessingthepowerofYET: Makea“YET”bulletinboardordesignateawallathomeforallthethingsyoucannotdo...yet! UseMyPowerofYETprintable(GrowthMindsetPrintablesKit)asafunactivitytopracticeusing“Yet!” Modelitforyourchild:“Idon’tknowtheansweryet,butIwillfindoutforyou!” YETrecognizesgoodthingsarecoming,it’sjustamatteroftimeandeffort. 4.Resilience Resilience,ortheabilitytobounceback,cannotexistwithoutobstacles.Weallfacetrauma,challenges,andstressorsfromwhichwecangrow. Notsurprisingly,studiesshowgrowthmindsetpromotesresiliency.Whenchildrenbelievetheirintellectualandsocialabilitiescanbedeveloped,theyperformbetteracademicallyandexperiencelessstress.Theystandtallinthefaceofchallenges. Likemydaughterhoppingbackupeachtimeshefallsfromthescooter,childrencanpracticebuildingthiscriticalskill. Considerthefollowingtipsforcultivatingresilienceathome:  Encourageindependentproblem-solving DiscusstheCircleofControl(“Inanysituation,therearethingsIcancontrolandthingsIcannot.IcanchoosetofocusonwhatIcancontrol.”) Practicemindfulness Watchmoviesandreadbooksthatmodelperseveringthroughdifficultexperiences Summary Cultivatingtherightkindofmindsetcanmakethedifferencebetweenasuccessfullifeandonelimitedbyfearoffailure.Agrowthmindsetmeansacceptance(andevencelebrationof)struggles,withanemphasisontheeffortandhardworkthatleadtosuccess.ChildrenwithgrowthmindsetsbelievetheycanlearnanythingandusethepowerofYET. Sharethispost: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin PreviousPostNextPost LeaveaReplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked* Comment* Name* Email* EmailAddress* FirstName* LastName Interests Ages4-11 Ages12+ NewPrintable EmailAddress* FirstName* LastName Interests Ages4-11 Ages12+ GuidePrintable FOLLOWUSONINSTAGRAM