When was the last time you decided to learn something completely new? And what did you learn about yourself while doing so? Want to hear my story? Then:
Explore your growth mindset, they said. It will be fun, they said.
I decided to jump right into the first of three parts of my development experience for new and aspiring managers at adidas. And it was a hella fun, I can tell.
For my 30-Days Growth Mindset Challenge I started practicing Tai Chi three times a week. Highly motivated as I was, Week One easily passed by with me getting up earlier in the morning trying to get completely into the zen zone right before work.
Then Week Two kicked in together with my weaker self that loves every minute of sleep she can get and the fact that my morning sessions did not bring me any focus, but rather darkened my circles under the eyes even more - at least that’s the way I felt about it.
I found myself at a crossing and had two directions to choose from: Drop-Out-Drive or It’s-All-About-Adjustment-Avenue. Obviously, I went for the latter as it sounded much more appealing to me.
And that says it all, no? What I truly discovered about myself while applying and practicing my growth mindset is the ability to step back, reflect and adapt as necessary. Repurposing my morning Tai Chi to a cool-down activity after work changed the impact of the sessions on my mind and body tremendously.
My mental agility is what helps me in striving in a world of ever-changing circumstances - the downside to be cautious about however is to not show lack of determination, be distracted too easily and jump from one thing to another without following through.
With that being said, this will be my foundation to further explore my growth mindset from. Stay tuned!