Short Writing

Surname 3
Student Name
Dr. Hildenbrand Course
ENGL 1101
Date

Growth and Fixed Mindsets

According to Dweck (2007), human beings can depict negative emotions such as frustrations, anger, boredom, apathy and other related responses due to an intense workload, failure in exams, loss of employment and other issues. More so, human thoughts or interpretation of specific events could change how they experience them (Dweck, 36). Back then, my family had moved to a new state where my father had received a new post. Three days after settling in the new state, I enrolled in Grade 5 in a school where big-bodied students participated more in Mathematical sessions than their counterparts like me. In my previous school, I was often scoring an A in this subject.
On this very day, my new Mathematics teacher asked a mathematical question that defeated the entire class, including the perceived mathematicians. Out of fear, I attempted the question and got the wrong answer. Most of the big-bodied boys and girls laughed at me mockingly, asserting that a small-bodied thing like me would not get the answer right if people with adequate flesh had failed. In Dweck’s view, a negative attitude can frustrate one’s effort to concentrate on the former favorite activity, thus shifting attention to easy tasks. Consequently, I failed my first test by scoring an F. My father reacted furiously by isolating me every time he bought gifts for my siblings. In response, I promised myself to overcome this prevailing belief that small-bodied students cannot perform in Mathematics. I spend more time with my elder brother and this friendly mathematics teacher to prove everyone wrong. When we sat for the last exam that term, I shocked everyone promoting that belief by scoring an A in Mathematics. My parents, teachers and other stakeholders gifted and encouraged me to continue with the same trend. Indeed, I never disappointed them; thus, my current managerial position in a reputable company.
An analysis of the above narrative in the scope of Carol Dweck’s growth and fixed mindsets theory could help explain how we respond emotionally depending on our mindsets. According to Dweck (2007), both the “subconscious and conscious perceptions can affect one’s desires and attempts to access them” (19). More so, most people’s thoughts and personality awareness originate from mindset, thus facilitating or obstructing achievements. There are two types of mindsets in psychology: “fixed and growth mindsets” (Dweck, 8). Having a fixed mindset creates a feeling of not being good enough to achieve a certain objective. This situation can deter one from performing the perceived difficult tasks, thus prioritizing the easier ones. On the other hand, the growth mindset (often associate with adults) is a belief that practice and perseverance can help overcome challenges and attract good outcomes (Dweck, 17). Indeed, this type of belief can orchestrate the feeling of managing behavior and emotions and optimizing certain areas of interest. Besides, a negative mindset can inhibit one’s ability to perform well in challenging activity or prefer easy tasks. Children could perceive that performing a specific activity is a dormant state which is uncontrollable.
Although I was a child, I managed to read through my father’s anger after learning that performing poorly in Mathematics orchestrated his cold reception. This frustration motivated me to identify my newly acquired fixed mindset that being small-bodied associates with easier tasks while having a big body results in optimized performance in strenuous activities. I, therefore, worked hard and defied this belief to bring a permanent solution. Thus, if the same experience emerged today, I would still adopt the growth mindset to overcome the challenges and attain my goals.

Works Cited

Dweck, S. Carol. The perils and promises of praise. Educational leadership: Journal of the Department of Supervision and Curriculum Development, NEA, 2007, 65(2). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252832770_The_Perils_and_Promises_of_Praise