According to the Chicago Consortium on School Reform (along with many other educational experts), three concepts influence whether students will persist when things get rough at school:
- The belief that hard work can and will lead to improvement
- Confidence that you, and people like you, belong in school and that it is a place where you can thrive
- The belief that what you are doing is valuable and relevant to your goals
When kids lack any one of these mindsets, they’re much less willing to continue working hard when things get difficult.
These same mindsets don’t just apply to young people and school, but to people of all ages who are trying to improve their lives. People with a “growth mindset” are much more likely to succeed in their goals then those who don’t believe they can succeed.
If you want to meet new people or eat healthier or pursue a new career but are having problems moving forward, most likely you need a change in mindset. While you are working on moving forward with your goals, or changing your lives, you need to make sure you remember that growth and change is a process. Be patient and kind to yourself, but don’t stop working on your change, because if you stay engaged, you will move forward, even when times get rough.
