Tag: Carol S. Dweck Ph.D.

Maya Angelou, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Hitch, Carol Dweck, and a Tao Te Ching Verse

Maya Angelou, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Hitch, Carol Dweck, and a Tao Te Ching Verse

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on March 17, 2024

Sunday Supplement #149 (March 17th, 2024)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

– Maya Angelou

Book of the Week:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001.

The novel follows two Jewish cousins before, during, and after World War II. Kavalier is a young artist who smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague. He joins his cousin in Brooklyn, and the two delve into the emerging comic book scene.

The cousins partner to make their own comics, and the novel follows their journey from youth to adulthood while pursuing this craft.

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, which had amazing depth. The growth of the characters throughout the story was brilliantly explored.

For those interested in a classic American fiction novel, I highly recommend The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

Movie of the Week:

Hitch

One of my favorite Rom-Coms, Hitch, hasn’t always received the best review. I still think it is worth the watch.

The film follows a “date doctor” who falls in love with a cynical columnist while he helps a shy account try to woo an heiress.

The “date doctor” is a man, played by Will Smith, who helps other men get dates with women. I think the criticism the movie gets is usually misplaced about this concept.

My favorite element of the movie is how the story pokes fun, and sometimes in a serious fashion, about the gender roles and societal norms of the dating world.

Even though this movie doesn’t get a lot of love, I recommend it and would be curious to discuss it with anyone interested.

Brainfood of the Week:

Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck | Stanford Alumni

Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck researched the power of mindset and how we think about our talents and abilities can significantly influence our success.

Dweck discusses studies on students who exhibit a growth mindset by viewing “failure” as an opportunity to learn more versus students who viewed failure as a judgment passed on them.

The students with a fixed mindset responded that they were more likely to cheat on following exams, find others who did worse to make them feel better, or avoid more tests.

I’ve featured Carol Dweck’s book on growth and fixed mindsets in Sunday Supplement #97. If you enjoyed this video, check it out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Knowing other people is intelligence; knowing yourself is wisdom. Overcoming others takes strength; overcoming yourself takes greatness. Contentment is wealth.”

– Tao Te Ching

I read Ursula K. Le Guin’s translation of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching a few months ago. I found its verses beautiful and thought-provoking.

This verse reminds me how vital self-work is to living a full life. We often look outside of ourselves for examples of growth, but working to better oneself can bear the most fruit.

We don’t always have control over external situations, but we do have control over how we respond to them.

I think working on yourself, healing your past traumas, and understanding your behaviors are some of the best uses of our time.

Continue to work on yourself, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Ginni Rometty, Thinking in Bets, Safety Not Guaranteed, Sprouts, and a Japanese Proverb

Ginni Rometty, Thinking in Bets, Safety Not Guaranteed, Sprouts, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 19, 2023

Sunday Supplement #132 (November 19th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Someone once told me growth and comfort do not coexist. And I think it’s a really good thing to remember.”

– Ginni Rometty

Book of the Week:

Thinking in Bets – Annie Duke

Annie Duke went from being awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship after graduating with a double major in English and Psychology at Columbia University to being a World Series of Poker Champion.

Since conquering the poker world, Annie Duke has delved into business consulting, philanthropy, and authored two books, among other notable accomplishments.

Thinking in Bets is Annie Duke’s book about how to make better decisions, moving away from biased thinking, and better vetting of information around you.

In her book, Duke uses business, sports, politics, and poker examples to share tools that will help your decision-making process.

I’ve only recently read Thinking in Bets, but it is a book I know I will come back to. I highly recommend reading it for a solid guide to decision-making.

Movie of the Week:

Safety Not Guaranteed

Colin Trevorrow directed the Derek Connolly script about three magazine employees on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel.

Audrey Plaza stars as the disillusioned intern Darius, who finds a spark when she takes a more active role in the assignment to interview Kenneth, played by Mark Duplass.

The 2012 “Comedy” has some pretty dark moments, but it is an intriguing story that looks at modern society and explores themes of regret, love, and trust.

Safety Not Guaranteed might not be for everyone, but I’d put it in the category of a quirky downer movie that packs a thought-provoking punch.

Brainfood of the Week:

Growth vs. Fixed Mindset | Sprouts

The Sprouts video starts by defining and showing examples of a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset and how we can switch between the two or be one or the other in different areas.

It highlights how a fixed mindset believes that skills and talents are set and avoids failure, while a growth mindset thrives on learning and embraces challenges.

Sprouts highlights Carol S. Dweck’s work in the area of fixed and growth mindsets and shows how each mindset is developed and experienced.

I featured Carol S. Dweck’s book on the subject in Sunday Supplement #97 if you find the Sprouts video interesting and want to delve deeper into the mindsets.

I’ve also featured Sprouts videos in previous Sunday Supplements if you want to check out more. Sprouts makes educational videos about psychology, pedagogy, and child development.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Continuance is power.” (継続は力なり)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese Proverb reminds me of the power of not giving up. If you stop moving forward in a race, you will never get to the finish line.

Sometimes, you need to stop, reflect, and gather your strength, but you should never give up on your goals and dreams.

I think it can be daunting when you look at how far you have to go in whatever journey you decide to undertake, but each step forward counts.

Shifting your perspective from how far you have to go to knowing that each positive action you take will bring you toward achievement is a reminder of the power of continuance.

Work through the uncomfortable moments, continue to grow, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Amelia Earhart, Unlimited Power, Coach Carter, Sprouts, and a Guinean Proverb

Amelia Earhart, Unlimited Power, Coach Carter, Sprouts, and a Guinean Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 28, 2023

Sunday Supplement #107 (May 28th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The most effective way to do it is to do it.”

– Amelia Earhart

Book of the Week:

Unlimited Power – Anthony Robbins

I remember Tony Robbins being spoofed a lot when I was growing up. The self-help genre had a rep of just a bunch of hot air in most circles.

Thankfully, I found my way to the self-help genre in my early twenties. While some of it can be hot air, there are gems out there that share profound information for self-improvement.

I shared Tony Robbins’s Awaken The Giant Within in Sunday Supplement #30. In that post, I describe how I’m not a fan of his voice or seminars, but his books are gold.

Unlimited Power was Tony Robbins’s first published self-help book. I think Awaken the Giant Within is better, but Unlimited Power is worth the read.

The prompts Robbins provides in the book help get you out of your comfort zone, and his information is full of valuable tips and tools for making positive steps in your life.

Movie of the Week:

Coach Carter

I’m a big fan of the sports genre in film. I think there are many life lessons that can be explored throughout the metaphor of sports.

Coach Carter is a fictional story about the real-life basketball coach Ken Carter and his decision to bench his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Carter in the film, and he returns to the high school where he achieved great heights on the court.

Carter is dismayed by the state of the athletic program and the expectations of his students. He implements a rigorous program to help the students on the court and in the classroom.

The film is a pretty straightforward narrative, but the lessons around expectations and internal motivation leave a lasting impression that makes it more than a sports movie for me.

Brainfood of the Week:

Societal Expectations and Internal Desires | Sprouts

Sprouts starts their video by defining motivation as the experience of wanting something or wanting to avoid something.

They explain the breakdown of motivation into two contrary forces: extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivation drives thinking and behavior from the outside through rewards, while intrinsic motivation comes from within and is a form of natural curiosity.

The video offers an example of a child left to explore and a child guided by rules. It’s an oversimplified example, but it shows both benefits and downfalls.

I’ve featured an excellent book on the topic with a better breakdown of the subject in Sunday Supplement #97 – Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

Sprouts makes educational videos about psychology, pedagogy, and child development. I’ve featured them in previous Sunday Supplements and enjoy their content.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”

– Guinean Proverb

This Guinea Proverb is straightforward but can be a powerful reminder not to slip into the mindset that bad times will always last.

I think these simple messages hold powerful truths that we can often forget when we find ourselves feeling low.

When I come across proverbs, verses, and quotes like these, I try to pause and reflect on how to move forward.

For this proverb, I think of the concept of spring and ask myself, besides knowing the spring will come, is there anything I can do in the winter to help take care of myself and prepare?

Pursue the little things that help you move forward and gain momentum, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Sophocles, Mindset, Half Nelson, TED-Ed, and a Bible Passage

Sophocles, Mindset, Half Nelson, TED-Ed, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on March 19, 2023

Sunday Supplement #97 (March 19th, 2023)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink.”

– Sophocles

Book of the Week:

Mindset – Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck researched the power of mindset and how success can be significantly influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.

Dweck’s book Mindset delves into how a fixed mindset (those who believe that abilities are fixed) are less likely to succeed than those with a growth mindset (those who believe abilities can be developed).

While the outcomes behind these findings might seem obvious, the extent to which they are accurate and how mindsets are developed is extraordinary.

In Dweck’s book, she covers how these different mindsets can be picked up from various sources and at various times in your life.

I highly recommend checking this book out, if only to familiarize yourself with Dweck’s research findings and seeing how you’ve been influenced and how you influence others.

Movie of the Week:

Half Nelson

Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s film Half Nelson follows a junior high school teacher with a drug habit and the friendship he forms with one of his students after she discovers his secret.

Ryan Gosling plays the teacher, and Shareeka Epps plays the student. Both give outstanding performances, and Gosling was nominated for an Oscar for the role.

Half Nelson avoids many of the inspirational clichés of the teacher-student genre and instead offers a glimpse of those trying to get by and doing their best.

The film isn’t on many best-movies lists, but the performances of Epps, Gosling, and Anthony Mackie, combined with a nuanced script, make it worth putting on your watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

4 Things All Great Listeners Should Know | TED-Ed

This TED-Ed video starts with a quote from Laurie Buchanan, Ph.D., “When we listen, we hear someone into existence.”

The video then delves into what studies about what excellent listening requires and how it can improve our relationships and develop our worldview.

There are four tips about what great listening looks like in the video, including asking questions to confirm understanding and asking for a moment to reflect.

The video breaks down the different tips and provides valuable tools worth picking up to see if you’re utilizing the best methods for connection.

I’ve featured TED-Ed videos on a few other Sunday Supplements. Check them out if you enjoyed this video!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Where there is no guidance, the people fall. But in an abundance of counselors, there is victory.”

– Proverbs 11:14

I picked this Bible passage because of its link to the quote at the beginning of the Supplement. For me, the standout of the verse is focused on what makes a good counselor.

The idea of a counselor or someone who gives guidance can often get scrambled when the person offering help thinks they know what’s best for the person receiving without listening.

What everybody needs sometimes is not someone who tells them what they should do but someone who can listen to what the person needs.

The space for conversation allows for the needs to arise, and only then can they be addressed.

Don’t jump to conclusions; listen to yourself and others, and have a blessed week ahead!

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