Growth Mindset: how to look at problems in a positive way

View the following video about how you might come up against difficulties and manage to overcome them:

Adapted from: Khan academy and PERTS (2015) Growth mindset: lesson plan. Available at: https://www.mindsetkit.org/practices/13FaDf7VkjCekZJc#:~:text=This%20lesson%20plan%20offers%20several,even%20one%2Don%2Done.(Accessed: 12 May 2024).

Now think about your own experience. Try to remember​ ​a​ ​time​ ​when​ ​you​ ​too were​ ​struggling​ ​to​ ​overcome​ ​a​ ​challenge​ ​or​ ​when​ ​you​ ​decided​ ​to learn​ ​something​ ​new​ ​that​ ​was​ ​hard​ ​for​ ​you.​ 

Think about the following:

• Describe​ ​the​ ​challenge​ ​you​ ​were​ ​facing​ ​or​ ​the​ ​new​ ​skill/knowledge​ ​you​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​learn.
• Why​ ​did​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​take​ ​on​ ​this​ ​challenge?​ ​What​ ​motivated​ ​you?
• Did​ ​you​ ​have​ ​any​ ​moments​ ​of​ ​feeling​ ​discouraged?​ ​Did​ ​you​ ​have​ ​a​ ​negative​ ​voice​ ​telling you​ ​to​ ​give​ ​up​ ​at​ ​any​ ​point?​ ​If​ ​so,​ ​what​ ​helped​ ​you​ ​persevere?
• Did​ ​you​ ​make​ ​any​ ​mistakes​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way?​ ​What​ ​did​ ​you​ ​learn​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result?
• What​ ​strategies​ ​were​ ​most​ ​helpful?​ ​How​ ​did​ ​you​ ​figure​ ​out​ ​what​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​use?
• Were​ ​there​ ​others​ ​who​ ​helped​ ​you​ ​or​ ​cheered​ ​you​ ​on?​ ​What​ ​did​ ​they​ ​do?​ ​How​ ​did​ ​it help?
• Did​ ​your​ ​success​ ​help​ ​others​ ​in​ ​any​ ​way?​ ​How?

Adapted from: PERTS (n.d.) Writing your growth mindset story. Available at: https://www.mindsetkit.org/static/files/Writing_Your_Growth_Mindset_Story.pdf (Accessed: 12 May 2020).