Episode 010: The Adventure of Mindsets from the Uniquely Brilliant Perspective

Jan 4, 2016

Episode 10: The Adventure of Mindsets Part 4 - The Uniquely Brilliant Perspective

 Diana and Becky talk about:

• All people, especially Uniquely Brilliant ones, are born with a Growth Mindset. When we are born, we start exploring and learning.
• We don’t judge babies as they try to learn new things and fail repeatedly, we cheer them on. Why does that change as we grow older and learn to do harder things?
• People with Growth Mindsets can hit a societal wall of “This is how WE do it,” which implies there is one correct way to do everything.
• Uniquely Brilliant people can give the impression of having a Fixed Mindset, or be perceived as stubborn because their unique perspectives are challenged so often that they can become defensive.
• Uniquely Brilliant people may have a hard time explaining their perspective, because others can’t relate to it.
• The Fixed Mindset is often based on judgement – right/wrong, black/white. The Growth Mindset is based on opportunity – “let’s see what happens if we try this.”
• When you ask Uniquely Brilliant people to do something and they seem resistant to doing it, try explaining the process to them – show them the “why” for the process.
• Society frequently assumes that the Uniquely Brilliant perspective is the one that needs to change. This leaves Uniquely Brilliant people feeling wrong, which stunts their Growth Mindset, and leads to frustration and, in extreme cases, acting out.
• Uniquely Brilliant people can become angry or frustrated because other people don’t recognize how much effort they are putting into tasks. They may also have a nagging feeling they can do more than people expect from them.
• The best way to reward effort is to provide people (all people) with opportunities to expand, grow, and succeed without judgment or prejudice.

 Strategies for Uniquely Brilliant People to embrace their Growth Mindset

• Learn about yourself and the way you see the world
• Learn how to explain your perspective to others
• Understand that others do not see things your way
• Practice asking “Why”, so it is received the way you intend it
• Be okay with a default reaction, and practice having a calm response

STAMP OF BRILLIANCE

It is critical to understand that Uniquely Brilliant people can present as having a Fixed Mindset because their ideas and visions frequently butt up against the attitude of “We’ve always done it this way” which completely discounts both their point of view and original ideas.