If you have known me for any amount of time, you would know that up until a year or two ago, stepping out of my comfort zone was a non-negotiable. I found myself always wanting to pick battles I could win with skillsets I already possessed. I became stagnant in that way. I feared failure, and arguably, I still do. One survey conducted in 2015 showed that 31% of adults fear failure, which is apparently more than people fear spiders. That’s comforting, I guess(?)
A common concept we profess here at Behavioral Health Associates is that of a “growth mindset.” Always challenge your status quo and search for new ways to improve yourself. I reached out to our staff before summer program began and surveyed ways they intended to grow over the summer. Some wasted no time getting started on their goals. Some already reached the summit, quite literally!
Others, like yours truly, still fear being terrible at the things he wanted to learn. From a rational standpoint, it’s easy to ask…why does it matter? People who start something new are not masters overnight, especially when it comes to playing the piano or learning how to draw, which is what I’m teaming up with Mr. Scott Nietz and Mr. Matt Gutwald on learning how to do this summer.
Some of the resources I reviewed over the course of researching growth mindsets hit on these key points.
– See what you’re learning as a learning experience.
– Start small. Begin with achievable goals.
– Approach new things with curiosity, not fear.
– Be kind to yourself. Focus on learning and moving past mistakes.
Boy, easier said than done, huh? I’m terrified! But I will find a way forward. Consider this a vulnerable challenge to all of you reading out there to learn something you have feared learning or doing an activity you have feared doing. You are not alone in that pursuit this summer.