Why Study This Mantra...

You will focus on becoming a life-long learner. You will learn to approach life with a growth mindset. And soon, you will see the world as it is – a place of wonder!

"Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it."

– Confucius

Introduction 

Being a life-long learner has a greater benefit than just knowing a lot of stuff. It cultivates a perspective in you that keeps you humble and curious – two very healthy states of mind. Put another way, it fosters "a beginner's mind" or a "growth mindset." More about these later in the month.

This month, you'll learn to incorporate learning into your day-to-day activities. For your challenge, you'll go a bit deeper. In short, you'll learn to become a life-long learner of things both big and small.

 

Before you begin...

Before you start these practices and challenges, take a moment to rate yourself on this mantra. Give yourself a score from 1-10 (10 being the highest). 

Do this again at the end of a month of practices and challenges. How much have you grown?

 

The Practices

Daily Practice

Growth Mindset

Today's affirmation: “Becoming is better than being”

I am capable of learning and doing anything. No matter my abilities, my effort will ignite those abilities and turn them into accomplishments. This is how I’ll practice the growth mindset.

Today, I will be conscious of wherever I've slipped into a fixed mindset. I will usher it back into a growth mindset. I'll do this in just one area at a time, starting in the areas where I need it the most. The most important step in the process is simply awareness.

Today, I'll see the world as a place of wonder, not a place of judgement and fear. Challenges as opportunities, not obstacles. I will derive just as much happiness from the process as from the results. When I make a mistake, I'll talk about it. I'll determine how I can learn from it, then I'll move on.

I’ll appreciate when I’m a beginner at something. Anything I’m new at I’ll express with a “yet” at the end, as in “I don’t know how to do this... yet.”

In short, I’ll practice living with a growth mindset.

 

Monthly Challenge

Sign Up For a Course

What subject has always fascinated you, but you've never really taken the chance to study it? French wines? Basketmaking? World War 2? It's time to break that barrier!

This month, do some research, then find and sign up for an online course in a topic you're curious about. Online educational resources out there today are abundant. Chances are, your course could be free through a tool like Coursera or EdX. But even if the course costs $50 or $75, it's money worth spending if it's truly something you're passionate about.

Once you're signed up, it's easy to procrastinate. Set a goal date to be finished by and create a weekly schedule that works for your life. Be realistic. Don't be too aggressive, but don't give yourself too much slack either.

Happy learning!

 

Journaling Practice

This month's journal prompts are all about helping you adopt a growth mindset. First decide whether or not you're comfortable with the growth mindset concept. If it's something you struggle with, this month's prompts can help!

Five concepts lie at the heart of adopting a growth mindset. This month's journal prompts provide you with exercises for exploring these concepts.

Concept #1: Reframe Failure

Those with a growth mindset see failure as a stop along the way on the road to success, an opportunity to learn and become better.

Pull out your journal and answer the following prompts about your past failures.

• What are the three biggest "failures" of your life?
• What did you learn from those failures? Honestly and deeply, what did these failures help you to notice? How did they make you stronger?
• What is the pattern in what you learned?
• How did what you learned change the way you approach things?

Concept #2: Be Self-Aware

Those with a growth mindset are acutely aware of their strengths, talents, and passions.

For finding your strengths, we recommend one of the following

• The Clifton Strengths Finder, which can be accessed at gallup.com
• The VIA Character Strengths test, which can be found at viacharacter.org

Concept #3: Welcome Challenges

Those with a growth mindset welcome challenges. They see challenges as a way to fuel them forward towards their goals.

Use the following prompts to practice welcoming challenges.

• What's one challenge that you have coming up in the near future that is drawing some emotions?
• Name the emotion. (Then gently release it, when you're ready.)
• Now, state the solution.
• Finally, re-state the challenge as an opportunity.

Concept #4: Align to Passions*

Those with a growth mindset love what they do. That’s because they understand what they’re passionate about and they bring it into their daily life.

Try filling in the blanks on the following prompts to explore your passions.

1. When I was a kid, I dreamed of...
2. I can't pass up a book or movie about...
3. If I played hooky from work for a week, I'd spend my time...
4. Most people don't know this about me, but I really enjoy...
5. I am the go-to person when my friends need help with...
6. If I could star in my own how-to TV show, it would be about...
7. If I were to make a homemade gift, it would involve...
8. I've tried it only once or twice, but I really enjoy...
9. The closest I come to a runner's high is when I'm...
10. If I won a first prize in a talent show, it would be for...

Finally, pit these answers against each other. First put #1 against #2, then put the winner against #3, etc. Envision a life where the first activity plays a MAJOR role and the second activity plays a MINOR one, and vice versa. Which feels better? Cross out the loser. Do this until you only have 5 answers left. 

Concept #5: Be Inspired by Others

Those with a growth mindset love seeing others reach success. It reminds them of the possibilities of life. It puts them in the right frame of mind.

This final exercise will help you discover inspiration in others.

• Who are three people who inspire you? 
• Why do they inspire you?
• Thanks to their success, what possibilities open up in your mind for you and YOUR goals?
• What can you learn from them that would help you achieve your OWN goals?
• What are the first steps you can take to get started?

 

The Reasoning

For a definitive look at this month's mantras and practices, including what philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and scientists throughout history have thought, taught, and advocated, click below.

 

* Exercise created by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood, coauthors of The Passion Test: The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life Purpose