Epics of India

The motto I use isn't actually one that I necessarily made up, but one that I have always used, just because it is perfect for me. It might seem silly, but it is "Keep moving forward" from Meet the Robinsons, which is a pretty great movie. I really like this motto, because it helps to keep me from stopping whenever I run into some difficult problem.

F ailure I s S uccess' H erald I just thought about how failure is the first step towards a success, and rolled with it until I found a word that let me say what I wanted. That just happened to be fish, and the words ' just keep swimming' come to mind. Dory

I decided to talk to my girlfriend about growth mindset. We've been dating for a long time, so it wasn't a very awkward conversation. She has actually done quite a bit of work towards developing growth mindsets in younger children through her work. She works for the KISS Institute of Practical Robotics, and spends her time teaching kids about robots and programming. She said that one of the more important things is to keep everything interesting. As long as she can keep the kids interested, they are more than willing to tackle new challenges head on, even if they may fall short every once in a while. It is honestly really cool that a company like this one exists right here in Norman. KIPR

In this article , 'Don't Waste Your Time With Bad Resolutions,' Tim Herrera talks about setting goals for yourself the right way. He talks of how we shouldn't set goals based on the ideals of others, but on what we want for ourselves. He then goes into detail on the SMART goals model. This model is the process of making goals smart, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely and I've personally seen just how well it works when utilized properly.  SMART goals are basically a good way of making realistic goals that you can actually accomplish. They may be a stretch, but you can still reach them. They aren't frivolous or vague. They are very specific and have milestones in them for you to reach.  He also talks very briefly about how we shouldn't be overly positive about things, and that a little negativity can help keep us grounded in the present and moving forward. This is a relatively new thing for me to think about. I am probably going to look for s...

( Link ) I already knew that we can learn a lot from new and challenging experiences, but I guess I hadn't thought much about how much we can learn by having an open and creative conversation with someone else. Thinking about it now, I have worked out so many problems in my life just by talking with someone else about it, that it almost seems silly to not count those kinds of conversations as learning opportunities. I will probably end up looking more into creative conversations here on the internet and how to make them more numerous in my day to day life.

In my own life, I apply growth mindset best in a hands on setting. The more I make mistakes while physically doing something, the faster I learn. This can most easily be seen when I'm working in the machine shop learning a new tool, or how to work with a different material. Any time that I can physically put my hands on something and just work with it until I know it, I learn better from my mistakes. As far as school goes, this is pretty difficult to do with my math heavy coursework. I can't just reach out and pick up an equation in the same way I do with a bar of metal. Instead, I try to imagine the situations where equations can be applied to physical objects that I understand, such as support beams and machinery. ( link )

This is a fun assignment. Plain and simple, pick my favorite growth mindset cat pictures. The first of them being: Pure Truth Which is pretty great because it reflects my exact beliefs. You don't have to settle for what you start with. If you keep trying and keep learning, you can succeed at most anything. Up next is: Words to live by I was brought up believing that one of the most important things in life is to know when to ask questions. Plus, the cat and mouse match furs. And my third pick is: Key to Success This one because it's a reminder that every failure is just a door opening onto a new learning opportunity.

Although I had never heard of Carol Dweck before, I've heard about the growth mindset multiple times throughout my life, mostly through leadership seminars, and it is something that I can really get behind. If you don't have the willingness to grow, you never will. The growth mindset is an ambition to learn and aspire to greater things in life. Even those without a growth mindset can change, and start improving at any point in their life. It's not just something that effects children, it's just easier to influence at a younger age. Growth Mindset Personally, I first picked up on the growth mindset in middle school, but wasn't really made aware of it until well into high school after attending some seminars. I try to be as positive and growth oriented in all aspects of my life. Every moment is a learning opportunity of some kind, you just have to be ready for it. Since coming to OU, I've been able to increase my learning capability. It's not th...