I'd like to tell you about Fixed and Growth Mindsets. If you're a pop-psych junkie, you've probably heard these terms. Fixed mindsets are stubborn and pessimistic. Growth mindsets are ready to keep trying no matter what. It's evident which one has greater life-long benefits!

Identifying a Fixed or Growth mindset is easy:

If your student is quick to gripe over the difficulty of an assignment - that's a Fixed mindset.

If your student comes home with a bad grade and a determination to improve it - that's a Growth mindset.

If your student thinks that 'smart' people are just 'born that way' or got 'lucky,'- that's a Fixed mindset.

If your student knows that the only way toward success is working hard at noticing and fixing your mistakes- that's a Growth mindset!

It's not enough to just call students out when they're thinking in a Fixed manner. Parents, you need to be role models. Start catching yourself in the act of feeling defeated - and turn it around! Let students catch you 'thinking out loud' as you work on your own Growth mindset!

It's amazing that something as simple as the words we use every day has such a powerful effect on our lives. The good news is that the more you practice having a Growth mindset, the better you become! If you find yourself in need of some support to get there, working with an Academic Life Coach can help.

#mindset #learning #fixed #growth #college