3A: Think positive !

          Shakespeare once said “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” At first looking at this quote it may seem a bit confusing, but the meaning of it is simple.  Personally, I think the quote means that everything is what you make it.  Nothing is good or bad unless you look at it that way.  In Inquiry class this week we had a very interesting conversation about growth mindset and fixed mindset.  The conversation we had related perfectly with Shakespeare’s quote.  Having a growth mindset set means that you are willing to take on challenges and are willing to learn.  A person with a growth mindset always wants to improve their intelligence and learn new things.  Having a fixed mindset is the opposite.  Someone with a fixed mindset thinks that they are born with a certain level of intelligence and they do not challenge themselves to be any better than they already are.  Relating back to Shakespeare, a fixed mindset person would think of something they don’t like as bad, but a growth mindset would look at the positives and have a willingness to learn and make it good.

           There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.  Intrinsic motivation comes within.  In order to have it a person must set goals and achieve them for a sense of accomplishment.  Extrinsic motivation comes from a reward, whether it be money, good grades, or even a trophy.  Most people have both types of motivations depending on the situation. Shakespeare knew that in order for an outcome to be good, you need to have a growth mindset and be able to motivate yourself to reach your goals.