Show me what you’ve done, let’s try to understand how you’re thinking, and then let’s figure out what you should try next.p.220
This book was a real wake-up call for me. It made me realize how much of my school years were spent coasting on my intellectual abilities. I often gave up whenever things got difficult.
When I got to college, there were plenty of classes that challenged me and required me to study. So I shunned them instead. Said it wasn’t worth my time. I focused on my jobs or the other classes I was taking at the time.
I can see where it came from. I have long been proud of how much I can accomplish without much effort. But that has come at the expense of my achievement. If I’m not challenging myself, I’m not growing.
I can see why this approach matters so much in parenting, business, school, and relationships, just as the subtitle of the book states. Our ability to use failure and criticism as a vehicle for the growth and improvement of ourselves and the people/organizations we are a part of is ultimately the path to human progress!
When I hear people talk about the “growth mindset” at work, especially our CEO Nat, I now understand what he is talking about.
Ultimately, this book is a reminder of how, before all else, psychological safety is the bedrock of successful organizations and relationships. If we don’t feel safe to admit we are wrong, not much good can follow.