Challenge Accepted!

I recently read a book that spoke of the benefits of having a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset. If your natural inclination is to avoid something because you’re unsure you will be successful at it, you are more often than not, in a fixed mindset. I personally think one person is fully capable of holding both aspects within them. Though, most people seem to have one of those “mindset types” that takes you hostage. They see you standing on the side of the road with your thumb waving wildly, eager for an adventure. They pull over and flop the door open to you as you eagerly hop in, only to yank the car door closed behind you, hit the child lock button and speed away with a knife to your ribs. “No growing for you, buddy. Sit back and buckle up.” Okay, so maybe that’s a tad dramatic for this analogy, but I assume it gets the point across?

Sometimes we get stuck in a rut. We like what’s comfortable and cozy, what we know we are good at. The things we do that make our confidence ooze out and runneth over like an eager champagne bottle being opened. That’s good stuff! Feeling confident in something is an amazing feeling. Feeling like you may not be successful and more than likely fail at something you’re about to try, that’s freaking petrifying! I have a perfect example! I say perfect because it’s my personal experience, so, it’s perfect for ME. If not for you, you just let me know and I can think of another.

 I began learning how to play the piano almost two years ago. I taught myself the basics watching videos and reading articles online like crazy. This was something I had ALWAYS wanted to do. I’m an emotional soul and all, and for whatever reason the piano has always touched my soul in a unique way. So, I asked myself, “If this instrument is that intoxicating to my soul, shouldn’t I learn to play it?” Uhhh YEAH, I’d say so! During my video watching period, I mastered a few songs over time (OVER TIME is legit) and felt delighted with myself. At this point, I was playing fully with my dominant hand and partially with the other. I had to admit to myself this wasn’t going to really work out if I wanted to start playing Beethoven and Erik Satie. Damn it.  I was stuck playing the songs I had a mastered and “happy” in my little piano bubble of conquered songs. But was I truly satisfied with this? Nope. So, I decided to force myself to play new songs, scary songs, hard songs. It took a lot for me to fully switch mental gears and force myself to make that final call of finding a new song, with new notes I didn’t know yet, and try to learn. I failed a lot. I messed up, A LOT. I felt pretty lame-o. Even my cat left the room a few times and tried to close the door behind her.

After over a year of that, I started taking actual lessons and boy! Am I glad I did! It’s been challenging.  Despite having a teacher to snap me into shape, practicing alone every day will still leave me with both moments of glee AND many moments of frustration, where I just walk away thinking, “Okay! Where’s the bourbon?” But I decided I wasn’t content with my mediocre “comfort bubble” of a piano play list anymore. I wanted more (just like Ariel)! So I grabbed my sea shell bra and went for it! No regrets. Fixed mindset or growth mindset, screw the mindset label. Let’s just ask ourselves, “Am I happy? Do I want more?” If you feel a little pang in your tummy, you know why. Do it.