I've been excited to write about what it means to have a Growth Mindset. A Growth Mindset means that you believe you have the power to do and accomplish anything. But, how can that be? Aren't we born with a certain set of skills? Don't we all have strengths and weaknesses that define us? There answer is "no," when you believe in a growth mindset. Your brain has the ability to grow and change over the course of a lifetime. Have you ever heard the quote, "Use it, or lose it?" That means if we don't use our brain, we lose the skills needed each day. So what if we used that idea to motivate us to learn something new, or keep trying something that is challenging? Keep using it. Believing that you haven't accomplished something "yet," is the way to think when you have a Growth Mindset. It gives you power and drive to keep trying, no matter how long it takes to be successful.
I had planned to write about this topic for a few weeks now, and then something special happened that lit me up with ideas and motivation. Two days ago, my amazing colleague, Mrs. Winters, approached me with one of my students asking me, "How do you feel when you have too much to get done?" I responded almost instantly, "overwhelmed." Isn't that how everyone feels? She turned to my student and said that they discussed this idea at their Girls on the Run meeting last week, and my student said she feels empowered when she has to much to do, because she knows she can do it. What if we all believe, yes we can? What if we let go of overwhelming feelings, stress, anxiety, and remind ourselves, I just haven't done it yet. Imagine your potential.
5M students wrote "I Can" Statements to help them develop a Growth Mindset.
Check out this video to learn more about Growth Mindset.
