A Mindset to Believe In
Some days it is hard to escape the jungle that is our schedule. Responsibilities pile up and the to-do list only grows and grows. It becomes a chore to even make time for hobbies that we know we enjoy, let alone take the time to try something new! Joe DiCaprio, an Elementary School Principal in Niskayuna, NY, is choosing to lead by example. After reading A Mindset for Learning: Teaching the Traits of Joyful, Independent Growth by Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz, Joe made the decision to practice what he asks his students to do every day – to learn and persist through adversity to accomplish their goals.
I had the opportunity to listen to two teachers and himself discuss their experiences in trying new things last week and it was very inspiring. This month, they’ll pick up an instrument at the spring concert and play along with their fellow students. Upon reflection, each of them gained something different from the experience. One teacher stated that it gave her the ability to be more positive and accepting of herself. The other teacher said that she was more able to let stuff go – to not hold a grudge or try to be as much of a perfectionist.
Joe admitted that he found that he learned to listen better and pay more attentions. He detailed his initial trial for joining a football team in a Growth to Gridiron blog that his students could follow. He admits that the accountability to his audience [students] was a huge motivator for him to get through tryouts.
A fixed mindset is binary and would dictate that the trio were either skilled at playing instruments or they aren’t. By using a growth mindset, they are able to persevere with the belief that if they work hard at practicing their craft, they can get better through resilience and effort. This mindset didn’t come easily and Joe admits that it takes frequent conversations with his staff, including discussions of struggles and successes. As the teachers read the book, they have small group discussions on how the text applies to each person.
There is a gap on how to apply this text to coworkers that don’t see value in adopting a growth mindset. Even Joe has experience with some teachers not adopting the philosophy to which he says that you can still have honest conversations to find the common goal and to develop expectations that allow some degree of “failure.” The book doesn’t just apply to teachers instructing the next generation, but to anyone who has a coaching or mentoring role at work. To change the focus on guiding rather than simply delivering an answer is not easy to master – especially after decades of being handed solutions.
Easing into a new mindset or thought-process is never simple, but with the plethora of resources available at our fingertips – picking up a new hobby has never been easier. The internet is an unlimited resource for anyone interested in pursuing a myriad of new experiences. There is absolutely no excuse not to pick an activity you can imagine yourself liking and finding a blog or a couple of articles to motivate you to take a step forward towards a new hobby. I encourage you to make a list of hobbies or activities that interest you and strive to try most of them at least once this year. Drive accountability by inviting a friend or creating a family event around your attempt. Taking the first step is always the hardest, but once you open your mind to new experiences, I’m convinced that anyone can take it in stride.