I know people who have a fixed mindset. These people, no matter what question I ask, always respond the same. They don't take into account new events, changes, possibility, and promise. They make a decision about an individual and they stick to it. When you hear from them, it's always the same words and response.
It's best to give people the chance to change and to see people anew as times and events change too. When we continually see people as the same and respond in like, we essentially shut those people out of our lives, efforts, and perspective.
The same is true for the children we teach. We have to be mindful that we don't have a fixed mindset about who they are or who they will become. As I keep track of my students over the years, I am almost always delighted to hear about their future pursuits and adventures. More often than not, they travel down terrific paths, paths I never would have imagined for them when they were young. They've taught me to be open minded about my students and what they'll later accomplish. I often share the success of former students with my current students to demonstrate to them that there's great possibility and promise in their future.
When you meet or connect with people with fixed mindsets, it's like knocking the air out of you as there's no way for those people to see or know you as anything but the first impression they made of you. I suppose we can all fall into that fixed mindset trap, but it's best to avoid it and see people anew each time you get together. Give them a chance to grow and change, and let your subsequent relationship develop too. Onward.
