Developing A Growth Mindset Through Amal Totkay
By: Khadija Bushra
Tags: Growth Mindset, Amal Academy, Amal Totkay

Brain: Oh ya!! I am growing :p

“Unless you are willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won’t happen.”-Phillip Adams

What is a Growth Mindset?

How can we shift towards a Growth Mindset?

What are Amal Totkay? How do they help us in developing a Growth Mindset? What do I think of them?

Intriguing, you want to shift your mindset, right? So lets just dive in & get ourselves enlightened with this valuable information.

So, Growth Mindset is basically a mindset which strives for lifelong learning, continuous improvement, refinement and which doesn’t settle or get stuck at a point. For example if you have a Growth Mindset you are never going to say that you are perfect, you don’t need any improvement instead, you will continue finding ways to learn, enhance your knowledge & understanding.

Trust me you can easily shift your mindset from fixed to growth but for that you need to allow, open and put yourself out there and sign up for lifelong learning and experience. I know this sounds vague but don’t worry because Amal Academy has made it very easy for us by Introducing Amal Totkay.

So, what are Amal Totkay? They are basically five tips that help you to shift your mindset & develop a growth one and these tips are very easy and helpful, you just need commitment and if you give your all, you surely will be able to develop a Growth Mindset in no time. Following are the five Amal totkay

1. SELF-TALK

Number one Amal Totka is focused upon self-talk and that to a positive one because everybody self-talks and that talk plays a huge role in shaping our thoughts and perception. If you are doing a negative self-talk (I can’t do this, I am not good enough),you are basically limiting yourself and making yourself underconfident. But having a positive self-talk (I can do this, I have got this), results in so many great things. You are making yourself more confident, efficient and empowered. You are creating your own reality which is more positive and ready to grow. This might seem less important but it is not, you will know the power of self-talk when you do it by yourself. Just by saying that you are capable of doing something you will definitely do it. I personally truly believe that it works, stand in front of the mirror and say that you are good, you have potential and then you will come to a realization that you are good and you have got this.

2. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

This one is my favorite & also one of the most important tip that can help your mind to grow. When you are siting in your comfort zone, you are chilling and are being laid back. You don’t find the need to take risks and challenge yourself, you are basically stuck and fixated with the idea of comfort. But you have no idea that the comfort that you think you are in isn’t actually a healthy comfort, its toxic and it is preventing you from enjoying and excelling in your life. And we all don’t want that so, why stay in an imaginary comfort zone which will never let us grow, learn & be better. Let me give an example, so in my last week’s session (Amal Career-prep fellowship) we had to perform a role play & voluntarily characters were selected by fellows, I initially thought of playing a female character with whom I could relate but then I was like Khadija this is your chance, challenge yourself by doing something opposite of what predictably in a situation like this you would do, so I played a male character with whom I couldn’t relate at all, and honestly It seems like a very small thing but you have no idea how much I enjoyed. You can also experience such enjoyment and growth but for that you have to pop your bubble and step out of it.

3. CREATE NEW HABITS

Habits, especially productive ones help you in shaping your lifestyle and routine. In order to change your mindset habits play a vital role, they basically keep a check on your growth and progress. They keep you at the tip of your toe. Make planning and scheduling your day your habit, it will help you to be as productive as you can. Also, journal because its a great way to self-reflect and collect your thoughts. Putting your thoughts on a piece of paper helps you in reflecting on them, you read them from a far and by that you might look and understand them from a different perspective. Such habits no doubt lead you to a journey of lifelong learning. Start from little things like as I mentioned in my previous blog make your bed daily, make it a habit because that gets you started for the day ahead. You don’t need to adopt fancy habits, you just have to start, make a routine and then things will fall in place eventually.

4. ASK PEOPLE 4 HELP

Asking for help is indeed a sign of strength that shows that you are ready to learn, improve & grow. It is because you want to grow that you are asking for help, you want people to tell you about your progress and give you a sincere reality check. But for that you need to find people around you who you think will help you to grow and learn new things. For example in my third semester, I got paired up with this senior of mine named Hamna & we did a project together and till the time she graduated we had become very good friends who spent time together talking about life, future and opportunities. The thing that I noticed when I was working with her was that she was one of those people who would help you sincerely & want to see you grow & I couldn’t let that opportunity go of being friends with a person who would always inspire me and push me to grow and be better. So, what I am trying to say is surround yourself with friends (like my best friend who gives me the priceless advice & who is always there to support me) & people who would help you and give you the best advice possible.

5. FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

The tip from its face value is very self-explanatory. This totka basically suggests that if you pretend to be someone that you are not, you are very likely to eventually become that. For example if you lack empathy but you keep pretending that you are very empathetic, chances are that you will become empathetic. Similarly, if you are trying to adopt a growth mindset & you are practicing the beliefs of a person with a growth mindset, you will end up shifting your mind to the growth one. This aphorism is very common & effective & even research backs it up by saying that if you act as if you are competent & confident you will end up being a person with these traits. So, guys FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!!!!

“If you are presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything”-Katy Perry

Amal Totkay are very effective & doable, we just need to show commitment and dedication. We all have the capability to bring change, improve and be better everyday but we just need to start and take the first step. I know taking the first step is scary and overwhelming but trust me if you take one you will want to take the other and the other and eventually you will find yourself standing at the very last step as an improved version of yourself. I found the Amal Totkay very interesting and very helpful & I hope you did too. I have started my journey (I am consciously trying to follow these & keeping a check on myself) but I want you to start your journey too, so get up & hit the road.

FIGHTING!!!

Thank you so much for reading my blog. PEACE OUT.