[008 Research Review | GRATITUDE series: 1] The beauty of the design of counter balanced systems in the human body is worthy of awe and wonder. This post explores the chapter of gratitude in Character Strengths and Virtues.
In the process of researching so much about positive psychology, certain pattens from the past start to make so much sense. Ideas such as growth mindset, broaden and build, and the experience of flow adds a theoretical framework to design a life.
In many positive psychology studies on self-theories, having a fixed mindset is definitely the less desirable of the two options. Growth mindset gets all the glory. However, too much growth mindset without ever shifting into a performance zone, leads to a path of inaction, hesitancy, and endless preparation.
Staying in a performance zone creates an artificial limit on growth. The stress from always having to win adds pressure that stymies creativity. The long-term cost of using the fear of failure as a short-term performance boost shows up over time.
Our critical selves are often hardest on ourselves. The inner critic doles out harsh judgments to keep us safe and protected. In an ironic twist, the inner critic deep down cares most about what others think, and it chases the constant intangible benchmark of the approval of others.
