The Journey so far
A change of Mindset
For a very long time, I always had this strange belief that some people were born with natural gifts, which is true. This also made me have this strange idea that I can’t be as good, and that is totally false. I then determined in my mind that since they are as human as I am and have no superpowers, then definitely I can imbibe a growth mindset.
What is Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset simply means understanding that intelligence can be developed and you can get smarter through hard work, having an open mind, being curious and getting help from others when needed. It also means having the will to always be ready to face all uncertainties with everything in your power and if it is out of your power, you should get reinforcement by asking for assistance or guidance
How have I been applying a Growth Mindset to my daily life?
My first encounter with programming was in the University in 2012 where we were to learn c++ in 21 days before exams. This was clearly an impossible feat in such a time frame and this challenge did nothing but to paralyze me.
Since I started having a growth mindset, I realized having a challenge does not necessarily mean you have to go through it alone, or blaming anyone for my own shortcomings. Onward from then, I decided to face all challenges head on and any failure is just a setup for a greater comeback.
My first application to the Andela fellowship was in January 2018, with no knowledge of programming whatsoever; Of course, I failed the online tests woefully and got rejected. I didn’t take this as bad feedback, but instead, I took it as an advice to go work on myself. I would have given up and gone another lane and abandon software development, but having a growth mindset made me understand that all I needed was time to level up.
I decided to apply again in 2019, and here I am in Boot camp. If I didn’t see a bigger picture back then in 2018, I definitely cannot be here. The Growth Mindset that you are in control of your abilities and skill level has brought me this far and will take me even further. A fixed mindset does nothing than to just stagnate you and give you regrets and that is why I have made up my mind to apply a growth mindset to my daily life.
