Our mind is one big mystery and machine

Fulfil your potential and watch the connections grow.

Mindset, fascinating how it affects us more than we realize and lets it control us. Increased understanding and we can change direction.

We should learn early on to understand how we talk to ourselves and others. Language use determines our self-confidence and self-awareness to a much greater degree than we realize. It is striking that we should avoid calling someone talented, smart and an easy learner. According to Carol, it inhibits the opportunity to grow. Setbacks become greater and self-confidence can take a big hit that it’s hard to believe in yourself if you don’t live up to the expectations of others, and that you have of yourself.

Through the book I reflect a lot on how I have thought about myself and my possibilities during my years at school; as a child, young person and as an adult. How quickly I compared myself to others who had easier time learning, as we called geniuses. Honestly, after reading the book, I don’t want anyone to call me either smart or a genius.

The problem that arises is that you believe so much more about yourself than the truth really is. The truth might sting badly. So those who think they are being nice when saying someone is good or such, they believe they do a favour, but the truth is the opposite sometimes.

We lock ourselves into thinking that this and this is easy, so when you then fail to do it as easily as others have said you should, your self-esteem drops and you doubt yourself. Now it’s not just about learning at school. I, who have always enjoyed dancing, was asked to try out a dance mat where you have to hit the right part on the mat to get points. My memory is strong and when I was told I was good at dancing and should do well, I felt the pressure. The result was bad, much worse than I thought. I avoided trying again.

Carol has many years of experience studying people of various ages and so has evidence for her analyses of how we react to what is said to us. Those with a growth mindset are not fundamentally positive, rather realistic. Realist is not the same as being negative, you see the world as it is, the truth.

I have almost always been aware of the way I talk to people, but this book raised my awareness and I slightly change the way I talk to my teenage daughters. School and life are demanding and I discuss it with them. With the growth mindset approach I see how they respond and shine up like the sun. The obstacles don’t feel insurmountable, they are a learning process. This brings me inner happiness.

The importance of the words we speak is growing. Preaching the importance of this way of thinking may be wrong, but enlightening is essential. Where does the discussion lead and can I influence others to think differently? I hope so, because it is worth investing time and effort in this. The feeling that we can grow and think differently is crucial to how we can deal with adversity, which is part of life.

CONCLUSION;
How enlightening and what a relief it is to know that science proofs that we can decide to change our mindset for the better. Our brain and way of thinking controls our possibilities and capacities to learn better. With the help of this book you will understand how the learning process can be changed.