Analyzing Personal Goals, Mindset, and Learning: Psychology Assignment

This assignment is a reflective piece where a student, Kristine Silang, examines their experiences with setting and achieving personal goals, focusing on the development of better study habits, assessment completion, academic performance, and financial management. The assignment is divided into two parts. Part A outlines four specific goals and analyzes the challenges faced, referencing concepts like 'grit' and 'growth mindset' to explain outcomes. The student discusses the difficulty in creating a study schedule, managing procrastination, achieving desired assessment scores, and improving financial skills. Part B delves into key learnings from these experiences, highlighting the importance of effort, even in areas of strength, and the value of drawing inspiration from the success of others. The student contrasts a 'fixed mindset' with a 'growth mindset' and emphasizes how adopting the latter can lead to improved learning and achievement. The assignment concludes with a discussion on how these learnings will be applied in future endeavors. The assignment includes a list of references to support the analysis and conclusions.

Kristine Silang
Part A
Goal 1.
To develop a better studying and revising habit, by following a schedule to maximise my time wisely.
I found it extremely challenging to develop a better studying and revising habit, as I did not create a
schedule in which I could have followed that would have maximised my time efficiently. My failure
to create a study schedule, ultimately led me to default back to my horrendous studying and revising
habits. During the two weeks holidays I was bombarded with shifts at work, this did not help my case
with developing a better revising habit as I did not have the time to maintain one. “Grit is sticking
with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and
working really hard to make that future a reality.” (Lee Duckworth, 2013) The grit theory heavily
supports the outcome I had with the goal I had set for myself.
Goal 2.
To complete all of my assessments for my courses one week before their due date, by creating a
schedule to lessen my procrastination.
It was quite difficult to complete all of assessments for my courses one week before their due date,
as a follow up from goal one my first mistake was failing to create a schedule that lessened my
procrastination. As I did not use my holidays wisely, I began to fall back with my assessment’s due
dates. I ultimately neglected the “growth mindset theory” as I did not try to improve my effort with
completing my assessments at a faster rate, this then led to my learning capacity to decrease in size
(Lee Duckworth, 2013). Due to my lack of organisation, I have completed all of my assessments a day
before their due dates.
Goal 3.
To achieve 85% or above on all of my assessments, by ensuring that I put in my best efforts forward
and by investing my time into my work.
Achieving 85% or above on all of my assessments, was more challenging than I anticipated. This may
have been because I did not put my best efforts forward while doing my assessments nor did I invest
enough time into my work. Even though I pushed myself out of my comfort zone by setting such an
ambitious goal, I failed at actually putting in the effort and time when completing my assessments. If
I had only executed the goal correctly, it would have resulted in a much better outcome. This is
proven by Dweck’s theory “growth mindset” (Dweck, 2014). I hindered my own abilities in
completing such a goal as I failed in pushing my learning capabilities.
Goal 4.
To improve my financial management skills, by developing a deeper understanding on how to
budget correctly.
I became aware of how exceptionally challenging it was to improve my financial management skills,
as I struggled to develop a deeper understanding on how to budget correctly. It was surprisingly
difficult as a soon as I saw money coming into my bank account, I began to slowly fall back into my
previous spending habits. However, I decide to create a financial spreadsheet that showed me
where and when I mostly spend my money. After seeing the results come in slowly, I began to set
myself mini saving goals. “Grit is passion and perseverance for accomplishing long-term goals.”

Kristine Silang
(Fiebert and Lee Duckworth, n.d.) As I only set myself challenging yet attainable saving goals, this
made it easier for me to build a sustainable financial habit.
Part B
From the experience of setting myself goals to achieve to better my lifestyle, it has helped me to
discover two key learnings. The first key learning that I have learnt from my experience with my
attempts at trying to achieve the goals I have set, include the importance of knowing to put my best
efforts forward even at certain areas I am naturally gifted at. During the past couple weeks, I have
discovered that I run based on a “fixed mindset”. I failed to invest my time and efforts to areas I
knew I was already capable in (Karim, 2018). As I was not investing the right amount of times to my
assessments, it ultimately led to me not achieving the grades I was hoping for. This then triggered an
entire domino effect of psychological catastrophes, as I defined myself by the achievements I had
accomplished in the past. Which meant that after I had failed to achieve the goals I set, I lost all of
my motivation to push through leading to me falling behind on all of my school-work. However, after
my experiences from failing to achieve the goals, I have set I will use them as learning curves to
improve upon my skills surrounding the reasons onto why I was incapable of preforming such a task.
“Only through failing can you identify your weaknesses and get stronger.” (Karim, 2018) In the
past, I had the mindset of, “Why bother putting in lots of work to turn things around, if the ultimate
outcome will be that I will be failing anyway?” (Karim, 2018) This “fixed mindset” certainly did
not help me in achieving my set goals, it may have even hindered me to fulfill them. But
looking back now, I see how I can use my past failures to learn and grow my learning
capabilities. Intelligence is not fixed it is far from it, by ensuring that I always strive to
achieve my best by putting unlimited efforts forward; this leads to the increase of my
intelligence within the learning area. By acknowledging both my achievements and
failures, it ultimately helps me in maintaining a “growth mindset” in the long run.
The second key learning that I have obtained after the attempt to accomplish my goals is
the importance behind finding lessons and inspiration in the success of others. From the
experience I have gathered from the past couple of weeks, I have noticed that I tend to
put more effort into my work when I see other people succeed in similar goals, I have set
myself. I see it as friendly competition, it ultimately helps me to further push myself to
become better at what I am doing. This then ties in with Carol Dwecks “growth mindset
theory” as using the success of others results in a greater sense of motivation, which
leads to an ever-higher level of achievement (Carol Dweck: A Summary of The Two
Mindsets, n.d.). By using the success of others to improve my personal efforts, it
broadens my abilities to accomplish my set goals. Obtaining a “growth mindset” will
make it easier to see the success of others in a positive point of view. Being able to have
a “growth mindset” will also help me to use other people’s success as a motivation to do
better. As this force’s me to use the growth of others as a learning experience, that I can
ultimately use to help me succeed in achieving the goals I have set. Comparing myself to
others will also push me to do the best of capabilities whilst trying to accomplish my set
goals. “The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when
it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows
people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.” (Popova, 2014)
It is important for me to find the lessons and inspiration in the success of others, as it will
push me to be the best version of myself.
If I ensure to use the two key learnings that I have gathered from trying to achieve the goals I have
previously set for myself, I will without a doubt receive a better outcome in the future. As I now have
a better understanding of what I have done wrong and why I received such appalling results, it will
help me to improve and obtain the “growth mindset” theory created by Carol Dweck. Being able to

Kristine Silang
obtain such an important mindset, will ultimately help me in the long run as I will be able to achieve
my future endeavours by doing so.
List of References

Kristine Silang
Anon, n.d. Carol Dweck: A Summary of The Two Mindsets, website, Farnam Street,
viewed 27 April 2021, <https://fs.blog/2015/03/carol-dweck-mindset/>
Dweck, C., 2014. The power of believing that you can improve, video Recording, Ted.com, viewed 14
March 2021,
<https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve/
transcript?language=en>
Fiebert, A. and Lee Duckworth, A., n.d. Financial Grit: Why You Won't Achieve Your Goals without It,
website, Listen Money Matters, viewed 14 March 2021 <https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/the-
importance-of-financial-grit/>
Karim, D., 2018. Three Lessons I Learned From Carol Dweck’s “Mindset” {Book Review},
Website, Daniel Karim, viewed 27 April 2021<https://danielkarim.com/three-lessons-i-
learned-from-carol-dwecks-mindset-book-review/>
Lee Duckworth, A., 2013. Grit: The power of passion and perseverance, video recording, Ted.com,
viewed 14 March 2021,
<https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseveranc
e?language=en>
Popova, M., 2014, Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives,
website, Brain Pickings, viewed 27 April 2021,
<https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/>