Growth of growth mindset

 In my last post, "What we speak to ourselves frames what we became" I explored with you what a growth mindset means. As I was writing about growth mindset, I realised that when we talk about our beliefs that our talents can be stretched and expanded, we should also talk about how to stretch them. So, here I am to stretch our mindset and allow it to grow.

Are you all ready to join in the journey of stretching and extending? Let us begin.

1. Acknowledge and embrace the imperfections

Our very first move towards stretching our mindset means changing our way of looking at things. As human beings, we all have our own weaknesses and imperfections. We should take some time to look within us and find the areas of our weaknesses. We do not discover them to scrutinise ourselves but to know our weaknesses so that we can work to improve them or at least minimise them by being caustic about them. Human beings are social beings, so we might discover weaknesses in others as well. At that time, we should not mock them or try to take advantage of them. Rather, we should lend a helping hand so that they too can fathom their weaknesses without feeling ashamed of them. In this way, I don't just work on myself but carry along the other person as well.

2. Pay attention to what you say to yourselves

After accepting the realities, we need to watch our reactions. Normally, when we find our weaknesses or imperfections, we regret them and often say harsh words. For example, if I discover that I am not a good singer, I start saying to myself that I am useless, and because of this, I am unable to be part of such fascinating and beautiful projects. I also say that I am mediocre, so such great breaks are not meant for me. When I SAY such words to myself, what am I doing? I am crushing my tender shoots of accomplishing big things with my own feet. Unknowingly, we speak negativity upon ourselves and then say we never succeed. What we feed ourselves is what we reap. Can we think of getting grilled chicken when we have put paneer in the oven? NO. So when we feed negativity, how can we expect to get positive outcomes?

3. Crave to find your gift in criticism

The purpose of criticism is to prune you and give you the best look. Let me carry you to the garden. This is a rose garden, and all its branches have flourished, giving the garden a jungle look. The gardener sees this and does not admire the plants present condition. So he chooses to cut the overgrown branches and give them shape. This pruning makes the plant grow in all directions and gives it a full look. So when the flowering season comes, the plant has already developed into a beautifully shaped plant. When this plant blooms, it gives everyone a very attractive look. This is what criticism does to us. When someone finds fault in us, that means they see the potential for improvement in us, and hence, they have suggested it to us. So, never haste when you receive criticism; try to find out what improvement this criticism is demanding in me.

4. Be authentic.

I am reminded of the movie Three Idiots. In this movie, Raju Rastogi, in his job interview, is asked to become mean and think only of himself. He said, Sorry, sir, I cannot do that. I have tried to live this life for years and lived in great anxiety, trying to be someone else who I am not. So, I could not go back to the same dungeon again, and he walked off. His marks were not very good, but his authentic look was appealing. No company wanted to lose him, and this made him secure a position for himself.

Try to see what happens when you are the real you. No fear of being caught. No preparation is needed to always be presentable. You are not chasing things blindly; now you are following things that build you and define you.

5. Learn from the mistakes of others

We are all aware of Chanakya's diplomatic moves. He ruled because he never failed to study his enemies and learn from their mistakes. A wise man sees the storm and hides, while a foolish man meets the destructive storm. In our lives, we all want to become wise. A wise man's quality is that he keeps all his senses active all the time. We all come across situations where we see the consequences of others mistakes. We should learn from them and not repeat them in our lives. In this way, we always move forward.

6. Never fear the challenges; face them

I remember my childhood days; I always used to cry because my life was full of difficulty. But today, when I turn back and review my life, I feel all these hardships have made me strong. I think I faced those challenges in my childhood, so today I feel I can give a try to all the problems that have arisen in my life. Whatever I am today, it is all because yesterday I faced all my challenges and treasured all the lessons learned from those experiences.

7. Place the process above the results

I am reminded of the crow's story. This crow wanted to drink water, but the water level in the pitcher was very low. He could not reach it. So, he did not break his head, as he was thirsty and could not reach it. He saw here and there and picked stones one by one and put them in the pitcher. Slowly, the water level rose, and he could drink.

Similarly, every one of our events comprises small steps. If something has gone wrong, that does not mean that everything is finished. If we closely look into the process, we might easily detect the faulty area and correct ourselves. Never panic when things go wrong. If we just take a close look at its process, we will find our way out.

 This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023