Growth Mindset: See Your Potential | by Stephen Horgan
I was not a great student, at school or during my HNC/HND. I struggled to concentrate, and I struggled to retain information. So it was no great surprise to me or my parents that my focus was to start working as soon as possible.
Once I left school and completed my apprenticeship in Maintenance Engineering, I think a part of me believed it would be my career for the rest of my life. I had achieved my goal, and now my role was to complete that task to the best of my ability until the day I retired. This was a fixed mindset.
Even when the company went under and I had to search for a new path this same mindset followed. New company, same role, same mind. I would avoid challenges, I didn't seek out success or promotion, and I had no real desire to improve myself.
During the Bitcoin boom, I became interested in programming. Most people wanted to get involved in it because of the money. What I was interested in was the technology behind it, and how it was made.
I started downloading software, watching YouTube videos, and completing free courseware so that I could learn as much as possible. This was a switch inside my brain. I started to realise I had found something that I enjoyed and I was enjoying learning.
This would eventually lead me to push for promotions at work, looking for ways to incorporate my love for coding and computers into my everyday job. I started to believe in myself. I had a desire to learn, I wanted to improve, I wanted to advance, and I acknowledged a physical and mental effort was needed to do this. This is a growth mindset.
“In the fixed mindset, everything is about the outcome. If you fail - or if you’re not the best - it’s all been wasted. The growth mindset allows people to value what they’re doing regardless of the outcome. They’re tackling problems, charting new courses, and working on important issues. Maybe they haven’t found the cure for cancer, but the search was deeply meaningful,” Carol Dweck
I think sometimes people just need to find their spark, and it can revitalise them. So you might see yourself stuck in a fixed mindset. But keep looking for your spark. Just maybe it will change the rest of your life. (I write this from the desk of my new role within JLR, having finally found a new path I look forward to the continued journey of positive growth.)
Stephen Horgan is a Data Fellowship Apprentice at Jaguar Land Rover and is writing for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. Stephen is based in Halewood, Liverpool. Here is a little more about him:
“Hi, I'm Stephen. I'm a time-served Maintenance Engineer. I currently work for JLR where I'm trying to progress into a new role. I hope to gain experience in working with data and develop the skills needed to progress into a role where using data is an everyday task. I'm inspired by technology and the innovations that are occurring on a daily basis in all areas of life.”