"You were born to be a great writer!"

Everyone has heard someone say something on the lines of, "You were born to be a great writer!". To most people that seems like a compliment and something to be proud of, but it's an example of how a majority of people have a fixed mindset. Telling someone they were born to be a great writer usually has the intention to be positive, but what that person is doing is discrediting the hard work and time that writer put into perfecting their craft. This writer now might start to think, "I studied grammar rules and practiced writing for hours a night, I am definitely not born to be a great writer. I just fooled this person". To believe that a person is born with all their abilities, intelligence, and talent is a consistent negative outlook on life. It leaves no room for improvement, learning, and growth. A growth mindset is the most important attribute to carry in life. This growth mindset is what can provide the grit and motivation to become exceptional in things you at first struggle with. How many times in life have you observed someone try something new, stink at it, and think "Well, I just wasn't made for this!"? How many times have YOU done this? I can guarantee that you have thought this at one point in your life, think about the opportunities you have missed and the learning you have deprived yourself from due to this fixed mindset. The question isn't, "Is the glass half empty or half full?" anymore. The question now must be, "Are you going to let small failures and setbacks scare you away from learning and growing?".

Vocabulary:

Compliment- Something nice to say about a person. Fixed Mindset- Being born with all your abilities, talents, and skills. Intention- Purpose. Discrediting- To take away praise or reputation. Growth Mindset- The mindset that we work for and earn all of our sills and abilities. Grit- Courage and to work through tough times. Observed- A statement or remark about something seen or heard. Deprived- suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and benefits.

Vocabulary Exercise:

Make one sentence for each word shown: Example: Discrediting- "I always find that my teacher is discrediting my work!" 1. Intention- 2. Grit- 3. Observed- 4. Fixed Mindset- 5. Deprived-

Grammar Point: "Open-Ended Questions"

Definition: An open-ended question is designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the subject's own knowledge and/or feelings. Example from text: "How many times have YOU done this?" Activity: Write 2-3 examples of open-ended questions you ask or get asked every day! 1._______________________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________________
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