The Power of "Yet"

I'm sure you've heard of Carol Dweck and her research on Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset. If you haven't, click here.

Anybody want a poster? We have a fancy
printer in the office now.

Basically, her theory is that people who have a Fixed Mindset believe they have a very limited capacity to change or grow. I'll out my husband who used to say, "I am who I am" (fortunately, he's come around to the Growth side). Folks who have a Growth Mindset understand that, with support and effort, they can improve in whatever area of their life they'd like to work on.

It's really a wonderful theory and one that is rooted in neuroscience. After all, neurons that fire
together wire together. Not to mention that practice makes better (my old band director used to remind us that perfection is impossible - how uplifting).

Mr. Traini, ca 2000, shouting to go
back to set #1 again because practice
makes better.

I just got back from visiting seven schools and, as I left the final one, I had a thought: I wish I were better at offering support. Why don't I ask my people what they need from me? I suck. That's rather fixed, yes? Happily, Carol Dweck's voice popped into my head soon after and offered me yet. So, now I'm reworking (my therapist would say ruminating) how I interact with other people. I'm setting an intention to ask: "What are your needs at the moment?" during 65% of my future interactions with colleagues.

One of my biggest projects this year is procuring a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist to work with Carlo and myself on systemic changes within our agency. The goal is one I firmly believe in and so I've devoted many hours to research, writing, conversing, updating y'all, and seeking funding sources. Despite my efforts, I'm basically nowhere. I've encountered block after block and I've been intensely frustrated with this entire process. I genuinely want to deliver on this promise and I will absolutely keep working at it. In the meantime, I am setting another intention: To give myself the same grace I offer everyone else. It's going to come in the form of yet. The processes I've tried haven't worked yet. The people I've contacted have failed to get back to me yet.

For every problem, there's a solution. I'm already feeling more hopeful, which almost always leads to creative problem-solving.

Random and relevant