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Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

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Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#11

Post by kd5bjo »

For any given skill, there’s a huge difference between being able to attempt it, which most people can do, and mastering it, which requires a large commitment of effort. Though most people can master most skills, the high cost means there’s a reasonably hard limit on the total number of skills anyone can truly learn.

That said, it’s important to give yourself permission to do things you know you’ll be bad at, at least when the stakes are low: The biggest impediment most people have to learning is a fear of failure, which is almost inevitable when attempting something new.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#12

Post by riyadparvez »

Growth Mindset is a cognitive technique. Many techniques that fall under the umbrealla of congnitive and behaviorial technique is rife with overhyping, overgeneralized claims and false promises. Here is an article about the growth mindset controversy: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/debate-arises-ove.... Life and success is hard. Be careful when someone tries to sell you some easy techniques to be successful in life.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#13

Post by aronpye »

People, myself included, can often focus too much on the planning / organisational type of things rather than just getting things done, I.e. Just do it TM. You can end up procrastinating by reading up on stuff meant to help you stop procrastinating.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#14

Post by solidasparagus »

I just remember this quote: "Sucking at something is the first step to being good at something".

You might not be able to do that new thing right now, but if you try, suck at it and keep trying, eventually you will be able to do it to some degree of proficiency. I haven't found much of anything in life that you can't get better at by trying again and again.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#16

Post by riyadparvez »

trabant00 wrote: post #8

I want to make a case against having a "growth mindset". And against fighting procrastination. And any other self improvement stuff. - all these things happen at a much lower level than conscious thought. We have approaches to achieving based on genetics, early upbringing, life experiences, etc. No amount of wanting things to be different will make it so. - there are no recipes. There is just doing stuff, some will s…

> all these things happen at a much lower level than conscious thought. We have approaches to achieving based on genetics, early upbringing, life experiences, etc. No amount of wanting things to be different will make it so.

You hit the nail on the head. The worst outcome of these types of research is implicit victim blaming. People growing up in marginalized communities never get the opportunities to be successful in life. There are a lot of reasons why someone is not accomplished and not having the "right" thought is pretty down on the list. Instead of very carefully describing the limitations of these techniques, they do complete opposites. They hype up and overgeneralize to have publicity and sell more books and seminars.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#17

Post by Strom »

trabant00 wrote: post #8

I want to make a case against having a "growth mindset". And against fighting procrastination. And any other self improvement stuff. - all these things happen at a much lower level than conscious thought. We have approaches to achieving based on genetics, early upbringing, life experiences, etc. No amount of wanting things to be different will make it so. - there are no recipes. There is just doing stuff, some will s…

Yes a lot of behavior happens due to lower level thinking than consciousness, but that doesn't mean it can't be influenced.

Yes failure has a cost, but it's also a great way to learn. If you're not going to do anything because you fear failure, then will you truly be happier at the end of your long life thinking gee I sure am happy I didn't attempt anything.

Yes there are a lot of ulterior motive teachers out there, but there are also altruistic ones.

There's plenty of repeatable evidence that self improvement does work. I go running regularly, and I can run longer each time. You can try playing chess against a random person off the street and then against someone who has been going to a chess club for a decade. Working on improving yourself does work.

You are right that the topic is huge. However the way to climb a mountain is to take a step, not to say that it can't be done.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#18

Post by Arbalest »

trabant00 wrote: post #8

I want to make a case against having a "growth mindset". And against fighting procrastination. And any other self improvement stuff. - all these things happen at a much lower level than conscious thought. We have approaches to achieving based on genetics, early upbringing, life experiences, etc. No amount of wanting things to be different will make it so. - there are no recipes. There is just doing stuff, some will s…

I don't quite agree, as change does sometime come. I also don't really get your condensation, is there any further context to that quote?

What I do agree with is that it is a complex issue and so agree that self improvement as a product does not deliver.

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#19

Post by Strom »

netsharc wrote: post #7
saadalem wrote: post #5

Your perception is everything. EVERYTHING. Linear Growth VS. Quantum Growth: Which path are you on? Let me explain.. What if I told you that in all likelihood you are choosing the slow lane without even realizing it, even if you think you are not? Even if you 'think big' and 'take massive action' and so on... First, I need to ask you a question: If money were no object and you could have, be and do anything you wante…

Meh, is this copy-pasta (source please?) worth reading or is it just Tony Robbins-esque pop-psychology junk?

It's definitely copy-pasta. Google shows the same text in some old Quora answer. You can search for "Linear Growth VS. Quantum Growth".

Re: Ask HN: How to develop a growth mindset?

#20

Post by trabant00 »

Arbalest wrote: post #18
trabant00 wrote: post #8

I want to make a case against having a "growth mindset". And against fighting procrastination. And any other self improvement stuff. - all these things happen at a much lower level than conscious thought. We have approaches to achieving based on genetics, early upbringing, life experiences, etc. No amount of wanting things to be different will make it so. - there are no recipes. There is just doing stuff, some will s…

I don't quite agree, as change does sometime come. I also don't really get your condensation, is there any further context to that quote? What I do agree with is that it is a complex issue and so agree that self improvement as a product does not deliver.

> I also don't really get your condensation, is there any further context to that quote?

Sorry, I wasn't clear, it's a long speech, google it. Well worth listening. Will edit my post.

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