Dear College of Education Community,
An important form of self-care involves our mindset for self-regulation and self-perception. How we perceive ourselves and the world around us has an amazing impact on our experience of wellbeing. Dr. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success , states that “There are two main mindsets we can navigate life with: growth and fixed. Having a growth mindset is essential for success.” She goes on to explain, “as you begin to understand the fixed and growth mindsets, you will see exactly how one thing leads to another— how a belief that your qualities are carved in stone leads to a host of thoughts and actions, and how a belief that your qualities can be cultivated leads to a host of different thoughts and actions, taking you down an entirely different road.” Here are a couple of tips from Dr. Dweck:
Putting it into Practice
Our ideas about risk and effort come from our mindset. Some people realize the value of challenging themselves, they want to put in the effort to learn and grow. Others, however, would rather avoid the effort feeling like it doesn’t matter.
From Setback to Success
The other thing exceptional people seem to have is a special talent for converting life’s setbacks into future successes. Creativity researchers concur. In a poll of 143 creativity researchers, there was wide agreement about the number one ingredient in creative achievement. And it was exactly the kind of perseverance and resilience produced by the growth mindset.
The Power of … Yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU&t=8s
In this TED talk above, Dweck describes “two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve.” Operating in this space — just outside of your comfort zone — is the key to improving your performance. It’s also the critical element to deliberate practice. People approach these problems with the two mindsets… “Are you not smart enough to solve it …. or have you just not solved it yet.”
To read more, go to
https://fs.blog/carol-dweck-mindset/
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
For a list of other self-care options, please go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
May we all employ a growth mindset for problem-solving, motivation, and wellbeing in our lives.
Warmly,
Shari