“Not Yet” — The Most Important Mindset for Growth

You’re not a failure; you just haven’t got it yet

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I just watched one of the most fascinating TED talks I’ve seen recently.

In it, Psychology professor and researcher Carol Dweck discusses the power of believing that you can improve.

This is also called “growth mindset.” It’s the idea that abilities aren’t fixed; but rather that they can be developed and improved upon with effort and perseverance.

I first heard the term growth mindset a few years ago, and Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success got added to my “to read” list shortly after — only to stay there ever since.

I’d completely forgotten about it, and it wasn’t until I was browsing through the list of TED talks last night that it re-appeared and sparked my interest all over again.

She starts off the talk by explaining how students at a Chicago high school were getting the grade of “Not Yet” if they hadn’t passed all the necessary courses they needed to graduate.

While certainly not conventional, it may be a better way to look at and cope with things like difficulty, challenge, and especially failure.

For one thing, it feels a lot less final. It suggests that change is possible, and…

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Allison Burney
Allison Burney

Written by Allison Burney

Writer, ghostwriter & proofreader. On a mission to keep exploring, learning & enjoying this adventure we call life. Work with me: allisonburney.com

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