21A – Reading Reflection No. 2

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

1. What was the general theme or argument of the book?
The general theme or argument of the book was to have a growth mindset in life instead of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset person looks to the positive of things, wants to take challenges and learn from their mistakes. A fixed mindset person picks excuses for why they don't succeed. The book also goes through and discusses how a growth mindset can be used, and how to apply it to all different areas of life. It also gives examples of a growth mindset and a fixed mindset scenarios, and it helps the reader connect to the concepts. The book also discusses the nature vs. nurture debate, and how a fixed mindset person can change.

2. How did the book, in your opinion, connect with and enhance what you are learning in ENT 3003?
The book, in my opinion, connected with and enhanced what I am learning in ENT 3003 because it gave me a different outlook to what we have been learning about. It showed me that in aspects of my life that relate to this class, sometimes I have a fixed mindset and I should have a growth mindset instead. A growth mindset can be applied to all areas of my life, and connected to what I have been learning. This enhanced what I have been learning in ENT 3003, and gave me a different perspective to what I had been learning previously. The author helped me gain a different perspective to what I had previously been exposed to.

3. If you had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, what would that exercise involve?
If I had to design an exercise for this class, based on the book you read, that exercise would involve reading scenarios and deciding if a growth or fixed mindset was being used. For example, one exercise could be failing a test. A fixed mindset person would decide that the test was too hard and everyone else failed it too, and the teacher didn't provide the material. A growth mindset person would look back on what could have been done to prepare better for the test, and look ways to improve for next time so the same mistake doesn't happen. This would allow students to apply what the book discussed and being able to use it in real scenarios.

4. What was your biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book? In other words, what did you learn that differed most from your expectations?
My biggest surprise or 'aha' moment when reading the book was how much I connected to it. I did not understand the concept of a fixed vs. growth mindset before reading this book, so it really was an eye-opening experience for me. In other words, I learned a lot that differed from my expectations, and the thing that differed the most was how much I would actually connect to the book and want to apply it to my life. I was also surprised in how many aspects of my life I could apply a growth mindset, and how much I sometimes have a fixed mindset in certain aspects of my life. I also learned about how even if a person has a fixed mindset, they can work on changing in a positive way.