Growth Mindset

I was reminded this week about one of my favorite books that I read during my M.A.T. program and that is "Growth Mindset" by Dr. Carol Dweck.  In the book, Dr. Dweck outlines that human beings have a fixed mindset that they can't or won't do something.  The idea of success is instead an idea of being defeated.

With a growth mindset, you believe that success is a process.  It takes time.  It takes hard work.  It takes mistakes.

Essentially, the journey is more important than the destination.

The Milwaukee Bucks were the number one seed in the Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs and they were defeated by the number eight seed, Miami Heat in the first round.  A reporter asked superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo if the season was a failure and this is what he said:

Do you get a promotion every year at your job? No, right? So every year, your work is a failure? No. Every year, you work towards something, which is a goal: It's to get a promotion, to be able to take care of your family, provide a house for them, or take care of your parents. It's not a failure, it's steps to success. There's always steps to it. Michael Jordan played for 15 years and won 6 championships. The other 9 years were a failure? That's what you're telling me.

There's no failure in sports. There's good days, bad days, some days you are able to be successful, some days you're not, some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn. That's what sport's about. You don't always win, some other people are gonna win. And this year, someone else is gonna win. Simple as that. 

So 50 years from 1971-2021 that we didn't win a championship, it was 50 years of failure? No it was not, there were steps to it, and we were able to win one, hopefully we can win another one.

This article outlines the story in more detail, but the bottom line is that this story is not about the NBA, it is about life.  Everything is a process.  If we can get better, do better and be better every single day, we can acheive anything we want in this world.


Esta semana me acordé de uno de mis libros favoritos que leí durante mi M.A.T. y ese es "Growth Mindset" de la Dra. Carol Dweck. En el libro, el Dr. Dweck destaca que los seres humanos tienen una mentalidad fija de que no pueden o no quieren hacer algo. La idea de éxito es, en cambio, una idea de ser derrotado.

Con una mentalidad de crecimiento, crees que el éxito es un proceso. Toma tiempo. Se necesita trabajo duro. Toma errores.

Esencialmente, el viaje es más importante que el destino.

Los Milwaukee Bucks fueron el sembrado número uno en los Playoffs de la NBA de la Conferencia Este y fueron derrotados por el sembrado número ocho, Miami Heat, en la primera ronda. Un reportero le preguntó a la superestrella Giannis Antetokounmpo si la temporada fue un fracaso y esto es lo que dijo:

¿Recibes un ascenso cada año en tu trabajo? No, ¿verdad? Entonces, ¿cada año, tu trabajo es un fracaso? No. Todos los años trabajas para lograr algo, que es una meta: obtener un ascenso, poder cuidar a tu familia, proporcionarles una casa o cuidar a tus padres. No es un fracaso, son pasos hacia el éxito. Siempre hay pasos para ello. Michael Jordan jugó durante 15 años y ganó 6 campeonatos. ¿Los otros 9 años fueron un fracaso? Eso es lo que me estás diciendo.

No hay fracaso en los deportes. Hay días buenos, días malos, algunos días puedes tener éxito, algunos días no, algunos días es tu turno, algunos días no es tu turno. De eso se trata el deporte. No siempre ganas, otras personas van a ganar. Y este año, alguien más va a ganar. Simple como eso.

Entonces, 50 años desde 1971-2021 que no ganamos un campeonato, ¿fueron 50 años de fracaso? No, no lo fue, hubo pasos para ello, y pudimos ganar uno, con suerte podemos ganar otro.

Este artículo describe la historia con más detalle, pero la conclusión es que esta historia no se trata de la NBA, se trata de la vida. Todo es un proceso. Si podemos mejorar, hacerlo mejor y ser mejores cada día, podemos lograr todo lo que queramos en este mundo.

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