Growth Mindset: Yet, Instead of Now

Today, I learned something new as I watched Professor Carol Dweck's TED Talk "The Power of Believing That You Can Improve." If you haven't watched it before, Professor Dweck talks about her science-backed research showing that many younger students feel more fulfilled and challenged when they aren't graded traditionally (on a pass/fail basis) but, instead, the idea that they can improve is emphasized. She emphasizes the power of using the words "yet" and "not yet" to address the successes and failures of learning students, influencing them to find confidence in shortcomings. 

As an aspiring doctor, I feel that I have to believe in the power of self-improvement. Medicine is always changing and adapting-- new procedures and studies come out all the time. If a doctor doesn't stay caught up with inevitable advancements, they quickly fall behind and become outdated, which can be unhelpful to a patient. Choosing this as my career path, I will always have to continue to improve in my field, and I like to think that utilizing Professor Dweck's growth mindset might keep me from feeling overwhelmed in the face of these challenges. That mindset can even help me now, as I apply for medical school and start my journey. 

Growth mindset meme, made by Laura Gibbs with a photo from cheezburger.