Do you know Khan Academy? If not,
then you're missing out big time! I've subscribed to khanacademy.org since a
few years, ever since it started so I receive their newsletters regularly in my
box. I recommend them to anyone and everyone both young and old. There's a ton
of stuff there to learn and it's fun to boot. The latest mail from the founder
inspires me to write this article here. It's titled 'The Learning Myth: Why
I'll Never Tell my Son He's Smart!' Sounds strange right? I mean especially
in America, you're supposed to praise, praise and praise some more, to
encourage someone to do better, better and best! But Salman Khan, founder of
Khan Academy thinks different. The story of how he founded the academy and why,
is interesting to read too.
Apparently your brain grows and you
learn more only when you make an effort and struggle to learn, to do something
better and not when it comes easy! To me, it makes a lot of sense. He calls it
having a 'Growth Mindset!' We are all born unable to talk or
walk. And we all have to learn to take that first step, say that first word,
throw that first ball and write that first word. And we all without exception
fall and fail and try and try again and again until we get it right. Have you
ever seen the joy on the face of a baby after managing to stand up straight
alone on its own two feet? Have you ever heard the gurgling laughter of joy and
delight when a little child has managed a few steps on its own? Or have you
ever tried to run after a two years old after its discovered it can run? It
runs so fast you can't keep up! I wonder why or when we lose that joy when we
grow up and instead feel shame and disappointment when we don't know how to do
something or the other first time and we withdraw into our shell instead and
give up.
I know from my own experience as a
youngster in a very strict Roman Catholic Girls Convent, how we were ridiculed
and called dumb and stupid, by the nuns, if and when any of us made a mistake.
And I grew with three languages, Arabic, French and English from the age of
four. Those of us who were over sensitive, and I was one of the over sensitive
ones, after a while did not dare to open our mouths any more afraid of the
avalanche of ridicule that descended on us, just in case whatever we knew was
not right after all. This still haunts me today! I lost all interest in
learning anything as long as I was in school. This changed only much later when
I was in my twenties and since then I spend every single day of my life in
learning something new. I make an effort and I struggle until I get it and boy,
does that feel good!
Basically it's like this. No one is
born clever or dumb. It all depends what the baby is exposed to. The brain is
like a muscle, the more you use it the more it grows. And researchers have found
that neural connections form most when we make mistakes doing difficult tasks
rather than repeatedly having success with easy ones. Our intelligence is not
fixed and the best way to grow our intelligence is to embrace tasks where we
might struggle and fail. It is OK to have to struggle to learn. It is OK to
fail. Just try again and again to exercise your brain. That is how you become
smart and smarter.
Some people believe that one is
either smart or not, these people have a 'fixed mindset.' They
believe that intelligence is fixed by genes. They tend to stick to tasks that
they are good at and they avoid tasks where they might have to struggle and
heaven forbid fail perhaps. This limits both their learning and brain growth.
Others believe that intelligence can
grow through effort, struggle and failure and these people have a 'growth
mindset.' They embrace challenges and don't mind making an
effort even if they fail again and again. These people push themselves and
therefore grow. The internet with its endless content, is a dream come true for
the growth mindset people. They're like a kid in a candy store. There is
no limit to their growth potential.
Here's a perfect little story to
illustrate a 'growth mindset' about Thomas Edison who invented the
electric light bulb among other things. In school his teachers said 'he was
too stupid to learn anything.' He was also fired from his jobs. When a
reporter asked him, 'How did it feel to fail 1000 times?' Edison
replied, 'I did not fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with
1000 steps.'
Another well known story is about
Henry Ford (Ford cars) who also failed and went broke five times before he
succeeded.
I know that I have a growth
mindset. How about you? Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed
mindset? Here's the good news, growth mindset can be learned! Spend
at least half an hour every single day learning something that is not too easy,
something new where you have to struggle and make an effort. Keep on trying and
never give up.
Margo Kirtikar, Ph.D. in the Science
of Metaphysics is entrepreneur, spiritual teacher/ coach/ guide/ mentor,
speaker and author of 5 books on conscious evolution and spirituality. She
specializes in coaching high-profile, highly-driven individuals who are
interested in achieving extraordinary goals. Margo who is mother and
grandmother, is an expert in her field, has 25 years of experience, on
performance improvement and self-development through mind and emotions
management. She works with motivated clients to develop the intuition and the
higher mind, the sixth and seventh subtle spiritual senses, to clear bad karma,
raise their energy level, to ignite change and boost personal transformation to
new heights
Article Source; http://ezinearticles.com/?You-Can-Learn-Anything!&id=8717180
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