E10 - How is your mind...set?
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Welcome to the BDI Create Today podcast. This is a podcast where we uncover and discover the who, what, where, when, why, and how you can be creative or have more creativity. And together we'll explore the extraordinary impact that creativity can have in your life in heart, mind, body, and soul. And if we haven't met yet, I'm Beth Buffington, a licensed artist, digital illustration instructor, and a creative coach living just outside of the windy city, Chicago.
But mostly, I'm someone who is curious about how creativity can weave its way into nearly everything in our lives. Now each week we are going to look at one or more of the sparkly facets that [00:01:00] make up the ever-changing kaleidoscope. That is creativity.
Well, hello again, my creative friend. I am so glad you are here to join me in another episode of Create Today. Today, we are exploring the powerful realm of the creative mind. We're going to think about how we use our mind. And determine if we've set it to embrace growth or fear failure. And then we'll consider if we might want to just reconsider things in our mind, just a little to help us become a more curious.
and confident creative. So get cozy and grab your favorite art supplies or crafty tools and get creative while we chat about creativity. So my friend, the way we [00:02:00] think about how we could or should grow our creative passions, well that determines the outcome for projects that we create and for our overall creative growth.
Now this means that just How you think about what to do next with your creativity can be a game changer. Creativity is not just about having artsy skills or knowing the latest and greatest techniques. There's more to it. A very important part of our creativity is how we think about our creative abilities.
How we think about ourselves and our work. Well, that is called a mindset, a way of thinking that allows us to navigate challenges and see opportunities with our creativity. Have you noticed lately that the words mindset and being mindful of, or about something have [00:03:00] become popular buzzwords and for good reason?
Have you noticed? But buzzwords, they tend to water down and then oversimplify the meanings of the word that is currently buzzing. And this can blur the true definition of the buzzword. And then the goodness that this word is providing to us kind of gets lost. So mindset. Now, I'm pretty sure you've heard this word before.
We've mentioned it here more than once on Create Today. So, let's take a moment to really focus on this word mindset so we can be sure we are understanding what it means. So let's look at the definition and then look at how our creativity can change for the better if we understand how we can creatively use the definition of the word mindset.
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has done a lot of [00:04:00] research on mindset. And she, well, she pretty much wrote the book about it. Her book is entitled Mindset. So check it out to get a really deep dive into what we're going to talk about today.
Here's how Carol Dweck defines the word mindset. Your mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself.
Dweck then goes on to say, your mindset is pivotal in determining what your goals are and whether you achieve them. Mindset plays a significant role in determining achievement and success.
This means that what you believe about yourself impacts your success. or failure.
Oh, wow. Right? Let's talk a little bit more about Carol Dweck and her research on mindset. Her [00:05:00] research found two distinct types of mindset. One is the growth mindset and the other is a fixed mindset.
And here's a quick explanation of both. From the creative perspective.
If you're a creative with a growth mindset, you view your creative talents like a garden. A growth mindset believes that you're capable of learning new skills that will help your creativity to grow and produce bounty season after season after season.
Now, creatives with a fixed mindset see their talents as a finite area, like a beautiful sculpture frozen in marble. It's a masterpiece, but it is one perfect sculpture that cannot be more. A fixed mindset believes that capabilities Dwek gave an example of this, about students she had researched [00:06:00] who had choices to make about learning.
Those students with a fixed mindset were cautious about areas they had not yet experienced. They measured success by receiving a positive end result. such as getting an A each time they chose an experience. So they tended to be more cautious about not doing well with a chosen experience. And they pretty much avoided anything that could bring failure.
So new subjects, techniques, software, meeting new types of people, or visiting unknown places. Well, that would make them skittish and nervous. maybe anxious, because they feared they wouldn't be good at doing that new thing. And so they were fearful of failing. Now, students with the growth mindset in Dweck's research were a little more keen to learn new ideas.
They were less likely [00:07:00] to feel pressure to be perfect, and they didn't measure success. The perfect outcome to them. Success was being challenged with new thoughts and experiences, meeting new and different people or visiting new places. while they learned. And so to them, the outcome was less important than what they learned during that new experience.
Now, taking a look at fixed and growth mindsets, when I look back at myself, I mean, we're talking way back as a student. That's Way back. I can see that I definitely had a fixed mindset. When I was in college, to complete my degree in art, I had to choose a few classes that were outside of my concentration of graphic design and illustration.
Now, these were types of art classes like sculpture, jewelry making, fibers, art history, and one of [00:08:00] the options I had to choose from was glassblowing. Now, to this day, I find glassblowing to be really intriguing, and I, at that time, was so tempted to take this class. Now, let me tell you a little bit about myself at this time in my life.
I was very dialed into my GPA and putting together a great portfolio so I could get a job after graduation. So when choosing whether or not I would take a class on learning how to blow glass, here's how I made my decision. at this time in my life. First, I loved the idea of learning to blow glass. My heart was saying, let's do this.
But I had heard that the glass blowing instructor was, well, a little hard to please. He expected a lot from his students. And this made my mind think, what happens if I'm not good at blowing [00:09:00] glass? What if the instructor doesn't like my work? Should I take a class that is so risky? If I fail, will my GPA suffer?
Because I had no reason to believe I could. Maybe be good at blowing glass and I thought the instructor was not likely to give out grades, good grades, for hey, nice try Beth. I decided I couldn't risk taking this glass blowing class.
Now looking back, Right now, I would tell college Beth, put caution to the wind, girlfriend, be brave, go learn how to blow glass, because glass blowing is not something you'll be able to try again for a long, long time, or maybe ever. And how fun would it be to say that you would experience such an exotic class.
One class isn't going to completely tank your GPA and what if you are [00:10:00] really good at blowing glass? You'll never know if you don't try. If I could have had a growth mindset about glassblowing, I would have taken the class and I would have immersed myself in the intrigue of stretching molten glass into amazing shapes and objects.
And I wouldn't have cared how good I was . I would have just allowed myself to enjoy having this incredible experience. And who knows? I might have been great at it. But I'll never know. My mindset was fixed, and I told myself failure was not an option. You may not take glassblowing class, Beth.
Now Carol Dweck's insights about mindset provide us with valuable advice about how to embrace a positive attitude that will help us navigate growth in our creative journey.
Think [00:11:00] of her research on mindset, like coming to a fork in your creative path where you have a choice between two distinct directions. Now one choice on your path is pursuing your creative passion with a fixed mindset. , that's not going to allow you a lot of failure or maybe any failure.
You need to play it safe. You want to stay safe with what you know and who you know. because you don't think you have much room to grow. Now, the other choice is pursuing your creative passion with a growth mindset. Here you look to embrace new learning. You are open to meeting new people and going to new places.
Think about what you are encountering right now with your creativity. Take a moment and consider which mindset you are using with the choices that you're making about your [00:12:00] creative pursuits. Will your mindset help you grow and nurture your creative passion and build your confidence?
So let's talk about why I am talking about mindset today. I usually bring topics to create today that are tugging on my thoughts and have been or are right now applicable to my own creativity. So since I've learned about these two mindsets, I have taken a look at myself and I've realized that I have morphed my mindset from solidly fixed to one that is including more growth.
So in looking at the last 10 years of my creative life, I can see how I started to embrace new perspectives and possibilities. in my professional creativity. And here's what I learned in this reflection. Each time I was brave, [00:13:00] each time I tried something new, it made me a little more confident that I could do something else that was new.
I realized I could learn new things. Meeting and making friends with people who weren't a carbon copy of myself was good for me. Traveling to new places was scary the first time, but it got easier. So in the past 10 years, I have learned new software to create my art.
I can make and edit videos. I've learned how to organize and build websites to help me teach. I've learned to trust myself to travel to new places all by myself. And I've realized that I should never stop learning. I'm constantly signing up for my next course, my next workshop, or webinar, or master class.
So, let's consider how to think about mindset. How do we determine if the [00:14:00] mindset we have right now, if it's fixed or if it's including room for growth? And then let's decide if we need to reconsider the path that we are currently on. So, let's look at two areas where having the correct mindset is really important.
Let's first take a peek at failure. I want you to think for a moment about the last time you experienced failure. Ugh, that's a hard thing to think about, I know, but how did you manage this experience?
Did you have a crippling feeling of anxiety and gloom that was difficult to overcome, or did you kind of lean into your failure? And once it was over, you sifted through the debris and the aftermath to find the goodness that came from what you learned during this experience so you could take what you learned [00:15:00] and you could adapt and then become stronger for the next time failure knocks on your door because my friend, failure is going to come a knocking.
It's it just happens, right?
So studies show that creativity actually thrives when we loosen our grip about the fear of failure.
And many, many great ideas have been discovered because of an absolutely spectacular failure. And even if a great idea isn't discovered with each failure that we have to endure, new knowledge is added.
And strength is built through the lessons that we learn.
And now let's look at the importance of having an open mind. When we are willing to explore and decipher and appreciate new or different ideas and perspectives, that is [00:16:00] incredibly beneficial for us.
When our minds are open to new ideas, people, and places, that's when we are most likely discover that fabulous solution that came to us from a completely unexpected place. When we open our hearts and our minds to new learning, We become willing to experiment and get messy with new ideas. An open mind discovers those solutions we would have never guessed were possible, especially if our mind was fixed and we believed there wasn't room to include new thoughts that allowed for additional growth and learning.
So are you thinking, huh, maybe it's time to shift my mindset a little bit towards something that allows for growth. Let's recap a bit. A growth mindset is always replenishing itself and it is expanding its boundaries. A [00:17:00] fixed mindset fears that there is an end to the depth and the width of one's talents, if our mindset is fearful of an outcome that might involve failure, we miss the unique experiences that can be enjoyed, even if we aren't naturally amazing at whatever it is we might be trying for the first time.
Like for instance, Learning to blow glass.
So how does one move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset? There isn't a manual that comes with us that will show us how to toggle from one to the other. And I also imagine that there is a range where we'll find us migrating from fixed to growth
Let's discuss some practical ways so we can move to a growth mindset and then continue to nurture this creative mindset that will allow for growth season [00:18:00] after season.
So grab your pen and paper and let's make a list. Number one, embrace playfulness. My friend, do not forget to play.
Incorporate elements of play and experimentation into your creative process. That could mean dancing to your favorite music. singing in the car, just putting your hands into your paint, whatever feels a bit whimsical, childlike or frivolous. It's in these lighthearted moments when breakthrough ideas can occur.
And number two, surround yourself with inspiration. Create a space that fosters creativity and then look Gather and collect inspiration that you can bring to your creative space and surround yourself with inspiring visuals and books and objects.
The environment that we inhabit plays a significant role in shaping [00:19:00] our mindset.
Number three, create daily. I know we talk about this all of the time, but establishing even a small amount of time to create each day will kickstart your creativity and keep it moving and growing.
So whether it's journaling or Sketching or brainstorming, these moments of creativity will signal to your mind that it is time to create, time to expand. Time to grow.
Number four, continuous learning. Now I have saved the best for last. My friend, keep learning new things and stay hungry for knowledge.
Attend workshops, take courses, and seek out opportunities to expand your skill set. Network with other creatives and embrace their differing thoughts about creativity. The more you learn. The more you know, the broader your creative [00:20:00] network, the more outstanding your creative passions will become. So my friend, consider joining the Create Today community.
We are always doing something new to grow and expand what we know, who we know, and how we do it.
The creative mindset is ever evolving. By embracing failure and having an open mind, we choose the path that will include more innovative thinking and groundbreaking creations. So as you choose the direction for your creative path, remember that the right mindset can be your greatest asset.
When was the last time you tried something new? And through caution to the wind about whether or not you would or could be good at it.
My friend Anne LaFollette says it's never too late to create and she is so right. It's never too late to be playful, to be open minded, to [00:21:00] learn new things, to meet new people, to visit new places.
So spread those creative wings and prepare for flight. Embrace your fear of heights. Imagine with a growth mindset what you can create today through the experiences you'll encounter when you choose to fly.
So , I ask you, what will you create today?
Until next time. Stay creative, my friend.
Oh, here's one more note from our sponsor. And that's still me,
I have an exciting invitation for you. I know it feels like winter is going to be here forever, but my friend, summer is coming. So one thing you can do to prepare for an amazing summer is to make time. For your creativity to blossom.
[00:22:00] So this summer, create today with me. You'll enjoy days of drawing at a beautiful, all inclusive retreat center that caters to creatives.
Join me at the Artist Rising Retreat Center in the beautiful Connecticut River Valley Inn, the dates. Are July 28th through August 1st.
I'll be guiding you through my creative process of taking photos of flowers, drawing and stylizing your beautiful flowers, and then making zen fully gorgeous flower mandalas all in Procreate. This will be an amazing adventure for anyone interested in learning procreate.
And for my procreate enthusiasts who are just looking to get away you will be blissed out with the joy of creative relaxation. The inn is beautiful and will serve you amazing food and drink and all you need to do is relax and be [00:23:00] creative.
So come and bring a friend or two or three and meet me in Connecticut this summer for some lovely sun filled days and we will create today together.
For registration and for more information, just go to www.artistsrising.net/beth-buffington-twenty 24. That's www.artistsrising.net/beth-buffington-two zero.
Or you could just look at the show notes for the link and you can also find the information on my Instagram page. Just search for Beth Buffington.
I cannot wait to create today with you this summer.
