- Here are two seeds.
Both planted on the same day,
in the same soil, in the same garden bed.
One is very curious, full of life
and ready to grow as tall as it can.
The other is filled with fear.
"What if the sun is too strong
and burns my leaves once I grow?", it thinks.
"Or what if a beast eats my tender sprouts?
No way!
Not a chance I am leaving my shell."
So, it remains still and stagnant, rigid in its place.
The brave seed feels the heat of the sun above
and starts to push hard out of its shell.
Sure, it has doubts about reaching the outside world,
but its curiosity is stronger than anything.
"I want to see all the living creatures
of this garden!", it thinks.
"I can't wait to feel the morning dew drops on my leaves."
The little seed keeps pushing
until a single sprout comes out.
It grows and grows through sunny warm days.
It even grows through colder stormy days,
because the brave seed knows
that the sun will always return.
Throughout life, you will have moments
when you feel like either one of these seeds.
The way we see the world around us
and how we behave towards life is called our mindset.
We can choose to have a fixed mindset,
or to have a growth mindset.
When you have a fixed mindset, things can seem too hard.
Negative thoughts might cloud your mind
and you start to give up easily.
"I can't do this!"
You may believe that if you are not good at something,
then you never will be.
"I am just born this way."
The obstacles you face can hold you back,
and you begin avoiding challenges.
"What's the point of trying?"
Just like the fearful seed.
However, you can always choose to have a growth mindset.
A growth mindset helps you believe
that your goals are within reach
with effort and perseverance.
"Life is a great big adventure!"
It shows you that failure is a normal part of your journey.
The obstacles you encounter will only make you stronger!
"Challenges and mistakes help me learn."
You'll enjoy the challenges you face
and become more resilient.
"I want to become my best self!"
Just like the brave seed.
Fear is a natural emotion.
We all experience it
and it can make changing your mindset difficult.
The important thing is to try,
so here are some tips
to switch on your growth mindset.
Perfection does not exist.
Aiming for perfection is like running
a race without a finishing line.
Trying to achieve it will only exhaust you.
When negative thoughts fill your head,
you can turn them around by simply adding "yet!" at the end.
See challenges as adventures.
They will make you more resilient and can open new worlds.
If you work hard, you will see progress.
And don't worry about mistakes.
They are a part of life and we can learn from them.
The good news is, the sun always comes out after a storm.
By having a growth mindset,
you might even find that a little rain
won't bother you much at all.