Mindsets

In reading about mindsets, I've realized that most of my education is about studying material that I've forgotten or that no longer remains relevant to me.  To me, this falls under fixed mindset.  Most of my High School education was like this.  Trying to study to remember just so I can pass.  After the test, you can relax your brain and forget what you just learned.  it doesn't stick with you past the school environment.

"The brain is like a muscle, you have to train it."  I agree on that but are you enjoying training it?  For myself, I'm involved in activities that constantly challenge my intelligence but also inspire my motivation.  There are two professors I had as an undergrad that have always been apart of me.  Professor Begonia who taught, "Psyche of Pilipinos" and Professor Jacoby who taught "Advanced Sound Design."  Both allowed me to be at my most creative but also challenged me to take my learning's to another level.  I still hear their voices in my head to this day.  They weren't "by the books" but let the students help shape the class (their a  bit like Pausch).

When students are challenged, they either respond or fold.  The creative ones find a way while to other students just do enough.

Science of motivation

My friend once told me that creativity can come from the bare minimum of resources.  It's that "make something outta nothin" mentality.  This creativity can come from an open, low stress atmosphere.  In the work atmosphere, where deadlines and high expectations are a common theme, employees work under stress and just do enough to get the job done.  I've been apart of that in my work experience and you get to the point where you just want to finish and get the hell out of there.  The purpose of what we do can get lost.  Being apart of a creative environment where you can give back is the most rewarding.

Childhood Dreams...

In listening to Pausch, there were two quotes that I can relate to:  "When you do something long enough, it becomes apart of you" and Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you want."  We can all relate too.  It's either we're so good at what we do, that its like "breathing" or we hate what we do because we've been doing it forever.  The experiences from what we do help dictate what lies ahead (hopefully for the better).

The class he instructed in which, he gave students the freedom to create their "virtual worlds" gave students that "one of a kind" experience that most students wouldn't get in a class room of "rows and columns."  From the examples of the projects that were shown, it seems that the students kicked out highly inspired and creative final products.  The freedom that Pausch help inspire in that class brought out a lot (of creativity) from the students and for me, I really admire an instructor that can do that.  Overall, it was a very heartfelt piece and Pausch's words and the way he delivered them, showed me humility.