Life carries its share of disappointments, and any of these can
range from minor frustrations to significant devastations, depending on what
they are, what they cost us.
When we exhibit a growth mindset, we run beyond disappointment,
even devastation, to adapt, all augmented by agency.
Agency is the growth mindset characteristic of choosing one’s
own power to respond positively to change that’s foisted onto us.
We are all destined for disappointment, and as I’ve been
reminded often, even those who appear to succeed ‘all the time’ ultimately come
to face what we all face.
Everyone faces the growth mindset/fixed mindset paradox. Just like everyone with a growth mindset will
be tempted to become stuck in a fixed mindset.
One thing never changes.
We most reveal our true character by the overall trajectory of our response. We are allowed to stumble. To err is human. Growth mindsets always drive a strong
rebound.
We are destined to be shocked and disappointed. That should not be a surprise. But we are augmented with agency if we so
choose to apply our ability to respond. We
all have the ability to respond well. Agency’s
a choice.
We may not like it; we don’t have to like what’s happened. Whether we like it or not is irrelevant. The situations of our lives are what they
are. Dealing with circumstances that
cannot be changed is the stuff of wisdom.
Taking responsibility for what we can do
with the disappointments foisted upon us is wisdom.
