Welcome

          As a Creator would say, “What can I do to make this situation better?”(Mirman). When put in a difficult position, a person has a “fight or flight” response. Creator mindsets take on the fight response to find a solution to the problem. Whereas, the victim mindset gives into the flight response, creating excuses to avoid the problem (Downing). As students, it is imperative that we make the best decisions to such situations. When faced with hard times, if possible, I will choose to be the Creator, based off real examples, being the Victim, and knowing a Creator. 

          In the article “Do you think Like a Victim or a Creator?” from Professor David Mirman’s teaching blog, Mirman gives examples to show the difference between the creator and victim mindsets. He uses a real life example where two students were not able to get a textbook in time for class. The professor gave the two students more time to get ahold of the book. When the time came, the professor asked the students if they had the book. One did not and made excuses, blaming the bookstore as the reason she did not have the textbook. On the other hand, the other student was able to acquire the book. When she was not able to get it at the bookstore, she looked at other stores until she was able to find one. Skip Downing, the author of On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life, classified the first student as the victim mindset. The Victim is the one who comes up with excuses as to why they were not able to fulfil their goal. The second student is classified as the Creator mindset. She faced an obstacle, then took responsibility and did what she had to do to achieve her goal (Mirman).

          I have expressed the Victim role many times before. In English class during 10th grade, my teacher told us she would put up our upcoming assignments on our class website. One weekend I was having computer problems, so I could not check the website. Therefore, I asked a fellow classmate what the homework was and they told me there was none. Trusting that my classmate gave me true information, I neglected to check with other peers or even with my teacher. When I got to class, it turned out there was an assignment that was due. I was supposed to read an article and prepare a prewrite for a timed essay. It was important to have a prewrite because the essay had to have a certain number of quotations. This is where I proceeded to blame my lack of homework on my computer problems. I also incorporated that I was given wrong information from my classmate. My teacher did not accept my reasons as to why I did not have the information. Therefore, I was not able to complete the timed writing and got an F for the assignment.

          A person I feel is a natural Creator is my sister Muning. She has always had the passion and dream to teach yoga. During high school and college, she focused mainly on school, doing all her work and getting straight A’s. When she started working she felt overwhelmed and too busy, but she thought that was the perfect time to get back into yoga. She has always done it as a hobby, however, she made up her mind to finally start teaching. She is one of the most determined people I know, and with that, she took initiative and rearranged her schedule so she could teach at a local studio. She is still teaching a couple classes a week along with her main job. She is a successful Creator because instead of using her busy schedule and stress as an excuse to not do yoga, she concluded that it was the reason she needed to put aside time for it. As a result, she is doing what she loves as well as keeping a healthy and balanced lifestyle.As a college student, I will continue to work hard and be a Creator. Instead of creating excuses and avoiding difficult situations, I will do everything in my power to accomplish my goals. I will be able to stay a focused Creator by reviewing examples of other people going through real life situations, past times where I was the Victim and by looking up to my sister. This semester I aim to get A’s and B’s in all my classes. I have the goal of gaining the habit of staying organized. I also have a time management/study schedule. After my classes end, I will spend two to three hours doing homework. On Fridays I will take another two to three hours finishing homework and studying. I go over the notes I take in class, and even rewrite them as a way of remembering them. When schedules are compatible, I meet up with some peers, where we use our time to help each other study.  By having these good habits and the correct mentality, I will be able to be a lifelong Creator.

 

Work Cited

Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life. 7th ed. Boston:

          Wadsworth, 2014. Print.

Mirman, David. "Do You Think Like a Victim or Creator?" You Are the Prime Mover. N.p., 2 Jan. 2012.

          Web. 9 Sept. <http://youaretheprimemover.com/2012/do-you-think-like-a-victim-or-a-creator>.