BLOG POST 40: write a letter of encouragement to yourself

Educational research shows that your mindset is key to growth as a learner. If you believe that learning/school success is mainly outside of your control, you will be tempted to give up. Having a growth mindset can help you persevere to achieve your goals. 

Fixed Mindset versus Growth Mindset:

FIXED MINDSET GROWTH MINDSET

No amount of effort will produce success: “I’m just not smart” or “I can’t write” or “I’m not college material.”	Hard work will produce improvement:  "I believe I can develop my abilities.”
Learning should be easy: “If I have to try hard, I’m not smart.” “I don’t understand.”  “I can’t do this.”	Achievement results from effort:  “I may not understand yet, but I can  get better at this.”
Needing help is a sign of weakness:  "I should be able to do this without asking for help."	Needing--and asking for-- help is an  opportunity to grow: "I will welcome multiple opportunities to learn and improve."
Only emphasize outcomes:  "If I'm getting Cs I'm a failure."   "If I'm getting As I must be pretty smart."   "I have to pass this class or my life will be over."	Emphasize process:  "Even though I may not be getting the grades I wanted, I am learning from this experience."   "I'm growing as a writer and I want to keep growing."

BLOG POST 40: write a letter of encouragement to yourself to read when things get tough next semester.