A Story that will win your Heart

Puranakashyap (a disciple of Buddha) on attaining enlightenment wanted to preach the teachings of Buddha in some province X. He asked Buddha, "Can I go there?". Buddha said, don't go there. The people of province X are too rude. Puranakashyap said, someone has to go there otherwise they will remain like this forever. I want to ask you three questions if you answered them correctly then I will let you go there, Buddha replied.

Buddha: What will you do if people of province X disrespect or abuse you?

Puranakashyap: I am thankful to them of not beating me.

Buddha: What will you do if they beat you?

Puranakashyap: I am thankful to them of not killing me.

Buddha: What will you do if they kill you?

Puranakashyap: I am very thankful to them because if I am alive I am bound to do mistakes. I have realized my soul. These people are helping me to free my soul from this body.

Buddha said, Puranakshyap now you can go anywhere in this world. No one can harm you.

There is good in everything if we look for it. Laura Ingall Wilder

Having a positive mindset towards life will help us to see opportunities amid obstacles. Puranakshyap worked so much on his inner self to create a mindset that will help him to see positivity in every situation of his life. Entire universe exists only in our minds. The kind of mindset we have determine the quality of our life.

Dr Carol Dweck in Mindset described two kinds of mindset: Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset. People having a fixed mindset believes they can't change themselves. Their traits are fixed. No matter how hard they can try, they can't change the quality of their life. People having growth mindset believes they can change themselves. Their traits are not fixed. By doing hardwork and using better strategies, they will change the quality of their life. Mindset can be summarized in below picture. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Assume you are preparing for some exam having 60% chance of success and 40% chance of failure. You gave the exam and failed spectacularly.

Fixed Mindset Approach: Don't take another chance. It's not going to help. I don't have that genes which will help me to achieve success in my life.

Growth Mindset Approach: I will take another chance. Never ever give up. Persist but experiment is the mantra of success.

Let's calculate the probability of success in 8 attempts assuming exams are independent of each other.

Probability of getting failed in all exams = (0.4)^8 = 0.0655%

Probability of getting success in atleast one exam = 1 - 0.0655 = 99.93%

People having growth mindset will succeed if they have the patience and the will to keep attempting the same exam over and over.

Watch this wonderful talk of Dr Carol Dweck on Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset

Whatsoever changes us is good. Whatsoever gives us growth, expansion and increase in consciousness is good. Whatsoever makes us static and whatever protects our status quo is not good, it is fatal, suicidal. Osho

Ryan Holiday in Obstacle is the way explains about Growth Mindset as 

When People are

• Rude or Disrespectful -----> They underestimate us. A huge advantage.

• Conniving ----> We don't have to apologize when we make an example out of them.

• Critical or Question our Ability ----> Lower expectations are easier to succeed.

• Lazy ----> Make whatever we accomplish seems all the admirable.

A wise person dyes events with his own color..... and turns whatever happens to its own benefit. Seneca

Conclusion: We all have the mixture of both mindsets in various domains of life. Having an awareness of having these mindsets in us is the first step towards our improvement. Human beings are the most powerful creatures because of their ability to choose. What we choose will determine the course of our life.