GROWTH vs. FIXED ⦁M I N D S E T⦁

 ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ M I N D S E T ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ ⦁ 

I've always lived with the idea that people are born with different intelligence and talents. However, I've also believed that people can get better at something, whether this is a sport or skill. Nonetheless I've never applied this in me. It's weird, that I believe and agree with this statement but I never actually apply it with myself. 

When I first received my ACT scores I was shocked by score, specially my reading. The first thing that came to my mind after getting my score back was: "I suck at this, I won't get into college." Every time the topic college or ACT comes up I just think to myself how bad I am at testing and I how I won't improve because really to get a good score I need to go up at least 4 more points, which is VERY hard.  On the other hand, when I played soccer in the beginning of high school, back in the 9th grade, I was pretty bad. However, I didn't give up on that, I was okay with failing because I knew that with time I would get better.  But what made me think that I could improve in soccer but not on the ACT? 

As I read the first two chapters of "MINDSET" I realize, hard to admit, that I have a FIXED MINDSET. To be honest I don't have a FIXED MINDSET 100%, like my soccer anecdote explains, part of me has a GROWTH MINDSET. But before any further reflection I think that I need to explain the difference between a FIXED and a GROWTH MINDSET.

GROWTH 
MINDSET 

"Your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way-- in their initial talents and aptitudes  interests, or temperaments-- everyone can change and grow through application and experience"

FIXED 
MINDSET

"Your qualities are carved in stone creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you only have a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character --well, then you'd better prove that you have a healthy dose of them"

As I read the book and understand more about each type of mindset I realize that I  share the believes of a GROWTH MINDSET but I don't apply them in my day to day life. This especially happens in my IB classes because of the culture within the students. On Tuesday's and Friday's, IB classes days, I am used to hearing people COMPLAIN and COMPLAIN about their grades, this is not an expiation for myself. People believe grades define you, if you fail a test then automatically you are not considered the top person in that area. However, what makes you think that you can't get a better score in the next test? The problems comes in when people loss their motivation. Like, Carol expl 

Taking the Innovation Academy for a year has taught me a lot about failure and how to cope with it. Before I was used to giving in a paper receiving the grade and let that define me. Today as I work in projects in the IA I realize that I define the grade. I set the boundaries for myself and I choose how much effort I want to put into something. With the IA I have started to change my MINDSET. I am learning to ''S T R E T C H", by seeking challenges and coping with failure. 

"SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH THE GROWTH MINDSET STRETCH THEMSELVES SO FAR THAT THEY DO THE IMPOSSIBLE"

Finally, because I have FIXED MINDSET, mostly, my KEY to unlock a GROWTH MINDSET is stretching. You might be thinking, so how will I do this? It won't be through gymnastics (hahaha), but I will begin to take on more challenges. Aside from my 30 day photography HABIT I will take two challenges weekly, as a habit, and this way I will change my mindset little by little. I love the way the GROWTH MINDSET works and it will allow me to be more successful. So I am taking on this challenge during JULY.