Dear readers, I know that we had a big break, and I truly hope that you are doing great. Apologies for not writing blog posts as I planned; I am going through a busy period in medical school, but I missed writing and talking to you. It is okay to put time aside for ourselves, and I think this break can inspire us to reflect on our 2024 goals and continue to work on them, no matter what happened in the first half of the year.

The effort and journey are more valuable than the result. This is something I realized over the years, but an anecdote from a young scientist helped me to conceptualize it. He was working on a project to find a medicine for cancer for over a year, and he was upset because the results showed that the medicine did not work. And, I thought that it was more important that he devoted himself a whole year to find a cure for a disease affecting millions of lives. It was an honorable effort, and even though the results were insignificant, I know that this journey will lead him to other paths, and maybe someday he will find a cure, or he won’t. It matters to me and millions of people around the world that he tried.

And, with the help of this anecdote, I truly felt that my journey and my efforts matter more than the outcome. This week, I want to emphasize this by introducing you to the topic of growth mindset and suggest an app that can help you in your journey. I will end this blog with some quotes that might resonate with you. I wish you all the best.

Growth Mindset

A growth mindset refers to the belief that one’s abilities and intelligence can be developed and improved over time through dedication, effort, and learning. Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges, persist in the face of obstacles, see effort as the path to mastery, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others. This outlook fosters resilience, a passion for learning, and a willingness to take on new opportunities, ultimately leading to greater personal and professional growth.

You can incorporate a growth mindset into your life by looking at a recent setback with a fresh perspective. It’s hard to do at first, but try to look through a different window this time and see it as a learning point. Alternatively, look at an upcoming deadline, project, or an idea that scares/stresses you and bring a new perspective. Try to acknowledge that it’s okay to be scared or have a fear of failure because we are doing courageous things, and just trying is an achievement. The journey and experience itself teaches you a lot of different traits. Just show up every day and try to enjoy every little step.

App of The Week

I don’t know if you used an app-blocker for studying, working, etc., but I was skeptical about them and didn’t want to pay the price (most of them are priced). I have been looking out for a free version, and then I came across Focus Plant, which is a free version of those apps, and wanted to give it a try. I’ve read different views and studies on app-blockers before, but you never know until you use one and see if it helps you. Well, I do have mixed feelings at the moment, but I liked spending less time on my phone. I think it is safe to say it eliminated outside distractions; however, it created some internal craving for social media, which I needed to suppress and put energy into. That’s why I have second thoughts on app blockers. But if you want to try one yourself, Focus Plant is free, and it gamifies your work process. You can keep your progress with showing up every day to plant new trees, and it can give you a sense of a growth mindset. (This is not an ad and it’s just my own recommendation.)

Quotes of the Week

“The way to make the dream come true is waking up.”

“Life is like a bicycle, you must keep riding to keep your balance.”

Outro

Well, thanks for reading my blog till the end. I’m a new blogger and would love any suggestions to make it easier and more enjoyable to read. I’m also new to the whole blogging world and open to recommendations for reading and learning from other blogs. Have an amazing week!