reading-notes

The Growth Mindset

Deliberate practice involves engaging in focused and intentional efforts to improve one’s skills and abilities in a specific domain.

The key ideas behind deliberate practice is that it

  1. Pushes you just outside your comfort zone.
  2. Repeated often.
  3. Feedback on results in continuously available.
  4. It’s highly demanding mentally.
  5. It’s difficult.
  6. It requires good goals.

To benefit from challenges, they must stretch you slightly beyond your current abilities and comfort zone. For instance, if you haven’t yet mastered iterating over an array, attempting to solve a complex problem in code would be futile. Therefore, the gap in your knowledge that a challenge presents should be manageable enough to overcome. Note: seeking feedback from experienced developers, peer reviews, or using code analysis tools can help to improve these aspects of your code.

The power of believing that you can improve [Carol Dweck]

The growth mindset refers to a belief that one’s abilities and qualities can be developed through hard work and dedication. People with a growth mindset view challenges and failures as opportunities for growth and learning. They understand that their potential is not fixed, but rather can be improved over time with effort and persistence.

In contrast, people with a “fixed mindset” believe that their abilities are predetermined and cannot be changed. They may avoid challenges and view failures as a sign of their limitations.

Dweck’s research has demonstrated that having a growth mindset can lead to better academic performance, greater resilience in the face of setbacks, and improved well-being.

The power of passion and perseverance [Angela Lee Duckworth]

Duckworth’s research has shown that grit is a better predictor of success than intelligence or talent. She suggests that people with grit are more likely to achieve their goals because they are willing to put in the time and effort required to succeed.

To develop grit, Duckworth recommends focusing on long-term goals, embracing challenges as opportunities for growth, and persisting in the face of setbacks. She also suggests that developing a sense of purpose and finding meaning in one’s work can help to sustain motivation and commitment.

Gentler philosophy of success [Alain de Botton]

He argues that this narrow definition of success can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction, as individuals may feel that they are not measuring up to these narrow standards.

De Botton suggests that we need to redefine success in broader and more meaningful terms, such as personal growth, relationships, and meaningful work. He argues that success should be measured not just by external markers of achievement, but also by internal markers of fulfillment and well-being.

To assess the emotional intelligence

  1. Take an EI assessment,the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment. These assessments can provide a detailed report on your EI strengths and areas for improvement.

  2. Reflect on your emotions: Pay attention to your emotions and how you react to different situations.

  3. Seek feedback from others: Ask trusted friends, family members, or colleagues for feedback on your emotional intelligence.
  4. Consider recent growth areas: Think about the areas where you have recently experienced growth or improvement in your emotional intelligence.

To assess the biases

  1. Identify your assumptions: Start by identifying your assumptions about people, situations, and topics.

  2. Seek out diverse perspectives: Engage with people from diverse backgrounds and seek out their perspectives on issues.

  3. Reflect on past experiences: Reflect on past experiences where you may have acted on biases or stereotypes.

  4. Monitor your thoughts and behaviors: Pay attention to your thoughts and behaviors in different situations.

  5. Celebrate progress: Finally, celebrate any progress you have made in reducing your biases.