The Book I chose was Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
1. The main argument in the book is that there are two different kinds of mindsets: growth and fixed. A fixed mindset is someone who believes their abilities are pre-determined and that regardless of what they do, they will remain the same. This can be thought of as the "genetics" argument or "you get what you get and you don't get upset." The other kind of mindset, the one most successful people have is a growth mindset, the belief that you can get better and that you're abilities are not pre-determined. The book explores who the growth mindset is the way to go if you want to be successful.
2. The book definitely enhanced the idea in the class that you will suck at things when you first do it, but you will get better. It is exactly like the elevator pitch. The first one is awkward and pretty nerve-racking for most, but by the third it is so much easier and you are so much more fluid. It is living proof that you get better at things, that the growth mindset is what entrepreneurs need to have.
3. If I had an exercise for this class based on the book it would be one where people take something they believe they are horrible at and make them do it for one month with a growth mindset and see what happens. Say for example, I believe I am just a horrible dancer and cannot change it. I would have to go to a dancing studio for one month straight and believe I can get better and see what happens. I think if you make that exercise, students would see just how wrong they are in their ideas of what they are good and bad it.
4. I think the biggest "aha" moment I had was the fact that even people we think of as the greatest in their field did not start out that way. Even Michael Jordan did not begin his basketball career as the greatest player in the NBA. I think its the fact that reading this book makes you realize just how important work and consistency is at making you really good at something. It is amazing to me that these people we idolize and look up to were probably not that amazing when they first started, but worked harder than everyone around them.
I think the Michael Jordan example is extremely pertinent example that everyone can look for and make the connection to the material within the book you read. Such a mainstream example can correlate to the understanding of the reading audience, and the growth and fixed mindsets of human beings that your reading teaches will be able to be spread to the masses.
ReplyDeleteHi Josh,
ReplyDeleteThis read sounds like one that many people should consider reading. I agree with that philosophy that you must work hard and work consistently in order to be great. Michael Jordan is a great example where he didn't start out as one of the best in the world but with hard work and dedication, he was successful. And if at first you don't succeed, you keep trying an keep working.
Nice "aha" moment, that is interesting to hear. For this class, our businesses probably won't be perfect from the start so we know we can adjust. I like the idea for a class idea, that would be hard to do, but would be interesting to see the results.
ReplyDelete