How Student Mentality Shapes Your Growth

Welcome to Gracie's Girl Chat

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Hi! My name is Gracie and I wanted to share my inner thoughts through a shared platform in an effort to create conversations and invoke communication about topics that make us feel isolated or alone. This blog will cover a range of topics that cross my mind, and the intent is for you to gain an insight to my perspectives, experiences, and learned lessons. This can include anything from cooking/baking, relationships, fitness, obsessions, upsets, triumphs, and worldly events. I hope that you feel empowered, extraordinary, and energized by this blog. All my best, Gracie.

This blog post reflects on the importance of student mentality in all facets of life. As a current law school student, I am still navigating my educational journey and utilize these skills on a daily basis. However, it is common for our fears and anxieties to override our potential. Here is a little reminder to not feed into that internal dialog and to expose yourself to the greatness that already lies within.

The Superpower of Student Mentality.

We are all students at one point. It is apparent that there are challenges that come with the title “student.” Although many of us have identified as a “student,” the main component of that label is largely overlooked once an individual is no longer in an educational setting. I am talking about the importance of not just being a “student,” but rather a learner. These words may appear similar on their face, but a learner is an evolved student that applies the principles of a growth mindset and determination to different sectors of one’s life. The benefits of being a learner in life are self-preserving to discover a life full of curiosity and knowledge.

There is a lot of pressure that is instilled on us, whether in the scope of education or employment. How is one able to absorb all of the expectations asked of them and attempt to maintain a level of vulnerability that I call "the learner?" Sure, these sectors of life require a level of technical skill related to the job. But the most important skills that set us apart are the ones that cannot be taught. The learner does not dwell on mistakes they make, the opinions of others, nor the inner voice of hindrance. The learner accepts that mistakes can be reasonably made, the opinions of others do not influence their path, and the inner voice can be countered with humility. If you find yourself still working on these practices, you are not alone. It is a daily habitual practice to change the way we talk to ourselves. It can feel like an uphill battle and some days are easier than others. However, it is a capable process and I have been pondering on affirmations that will make this transition of thought more practicable.

When you are falling victim to self-diminishing thoughts, reflect on these affirmations with me:

I allow myself to make mistakes.

I allow myself to be wrong.

I allow myself to unapologetically speak up.

I allow myself the opportunity to clarify my confusion.

I allow myself to not let the opinions of others keep me stagnant.

It seems easy, but you have to believe these words in order for them to come to fruition. That is the thing about habits, they do not form overnight. Even if you start this journey and repeat the affirmations with no confidence, you still started somewhere and you WILL get there. A lot of these affirmations were crafted from my innermost ego and the thoughts and fears that hide behind it. It's time to be vulnerable about my mentality as a law student. It is a great blessing to be able to continue my education, but no one could prepare me for the mental challenge and humbling nature that this experience has brought to me. A lot of people continue their education with the understanding that they will receive academic validation. When put into a high stress-high expectation environment, I quickly realized the equal playing field and the new stage that I would be encountering would be my biggest academic challenge yet. The work load can easily burn you out and the cold calls are pretty serious pressure. Every lecture is different according to the professor's style, but one thing is consistent, and that is how you show up. If you take the necessary steps of being prepared, it is not enough. The physical presence and preparation are not enough to be successful. The missing component, that is possessed by the learner, is open-mindedness. The learner participates without fear of what their peers think. The learner is not looking around the room at the noise that is created, they are focused on what is in front of them. The learner is not afraid to be wrong because they know that they are bettering themselves and looking out for their future self. The learner is comforted by the thought that current mistakes can be made to avoid future ones. Most importantly, the learner recognizes that they are not alone with their existing fears of speaking up, but continue to contribute for the sake of improvement. In return, the learner is viewed as poised, respected, and courageous. If it were not for the learner, many people in the room would not be intrigued or informed.

I have found that when I transition into this thought process, I feel radiant in the room and do not lean into my ego. It can be easy to get caught up in our personal image and reputation. But it is not worth our time to hyper-fixate on these things if we are feeling judged, depleted, confused, or lost deep down. We all want to feel like the smartest person in the room, whether it is to prove a point or to gain respect, or whatever the reason. What I am trying to relay onto you is that the smartest person in the room holds the superpower of the learner mentality. They are always attempting to achieve deeper conversations and analysis to improve their current understanding and work for the betterment of themselves. It is easy to feel trapped by anxiety and perception of others. I tend to overthink and over-worry about my contributions when I speak up. There are times where I am wrong, and easily told so. But the inner strength is tested in these moments to rise above our negative thoughts that are holding us back, and tap into our learner selves.

Be the Learner.

I encourage you to reflect on your conversations this week with this topic in mind. How are you responding to outside influences that strike your ego? What about your surrounding environment challenges you to bring out your inner learner? Remind yourself that you are capable and follow through with the space to grow, develop, and learn.