Develop Growth Mindset vocabulary
May 24, 2022
Every spoken or heard word has an anchor associated with it in our mind which triggers our reaction or response. Frequently used words have a stronger anchor association. Words spoken and heard have a significant impression on designing our life.
- Words are triggers for the anchor which in turn create thoughts
- Thoughts create feelings. You cannot have a pleasant feeling from a thought that of being robbed or hit. Thoughts and feelings are strongly associated with each other.
- Feelings evoke emotions.
- Emotions influence response and physiology and mindset.
Awareness of this connection makes people chose words wisely. One can make the choice of words for the life they want to create for themselves and the people to whom they influence. Since this month is dedicated to all parents and children in the memory of my father, I am sharing important vocabulary for instilling a growth mindset.
- In the place of saying, “I don’t know” as “I don’t know it yet”. YET is a powerful word that opens up the possibilities of learning
- Replace “Failed” with “Learned”. Thomas Edison “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
- Replace “ I can’t” to “let me try”
- Rather than counting the number of times you failed, say “ I am evolving”
- In place of saying “You are so smart”, say “I liked you put different strategies to figure out the problem”
- Replace “You are wrong” with “That does not work out, how do you want to approach the problem differently this time?”
- Use process and learning words more often than outcome words
- Focus on Process
- Steps for improvement
- Enjoyed preparation
- Excited for learning/ Fun to learn/ Curious to explore
- Love to explore
- I am reflecting on my approach
- Learned new ways from my last setback
- You give me anything and I will make something incredible out of it
- I am practicing on it
- Perseverance, Persistence, Grit
- Your strategy worked
- You figured out how to do it
- You took a risk, its courageous
- How do you feel about your efforts
- Your work paid you
- Your skills are improving with practice
- I noticed how you did it
- Look at how much progress you have made at doing this
- I see progress in the work compared to yesterdays’ work
- I admire how hard you have worked on it
- I can see you enjoyed learning
- Could it make a difference if you try a new method
- Have you tried considering different strategy
- You are on the right track and can benefit from a new approach
Remember it’s about being and becoming. Focus on the process and use process-related words with yourself, children, family, friends, colleagues, and everyone you interact with.
Energy goes where focus goes, so the more one focuses on the Process, the more it gives better results.
Credit – The image in the article is drawing by my daughter
Thank you for reading the article, please use growth mindset words and share your experience. Hosting Growth Mindset webinar for parents and children, please find link with details below.
