Be a Creator and Not a Victim
Achieving individual goals is important. These goals are only realized through hard work and perseverance. It requires tenacity; not to waiver in the pursuit of your goals. Professor David Mirman an experienced science educator, in his blog gives an account of two students who were unable to acquire their textbook for the first week of class. By the second week, one student managed to secure the textbook, the other student didn’t. At first glance, this merely seems to be two students having difficulty obtaining the required material for their college class. Consequently, you learn it’s more about a Victim mindset, oppose to a Creator mindset, one person’s determination and another’s lack of determination (David Mirman). The student who obtained the book would not be denied. Three other bookstores were called and they also did not have the book. Finally, the student was able to rent a used book online. The student continued until the goal of having the book was achieved, displaying a Creator mindset. The student who could not obtain the book accepted the first obstacle of the bookstore being out, and believed they were beyond reproach. Skip Downing, author of On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life, states a Victim response seeks to find blame for a negative situation. A Victim response is generally unhelpful to reaching one’s goals. The Creator asks “What can I do to achieve my goal?” or “What can I do to make this situation better?” (Downing). Being a Creator and not a Victim is a decision we all have to make.
In general, most people at varying degrees have displayed the mindsets of a Victim and Creator. When blame is placed on others for an unfavorable result or responsibility is not taken in the outcome, then a Victim mindset is being displayed. In turn, when the outcome is owned and the things necessary are done to succeed that’s the mindset of a Creator. My most regrettable victim moment was about twenty years ago when I started attending Thomas Nelson Community College. After two semesters I decided with three kids, coaching basketball, working a full time job, along with my wife and I both having ailing parents requiring our attention, I chose not to continue. I gave up on my goal of earning a college degree. In retrospect, I could have found a way to continue my education. I made the wrong choice and allowed some privation to alter my goal.
In hindsight, I know now that sacrifices then would have allowed me to continue. Starting with, limiting my roles and responsibilities as a coach could have freed up valuable time. Also looking back now I could have set aside more time on the weekends to studying and homework. I believe by changing my mindset in general to display determination and an overall commitment to stay the course, would have been enough to finish my college education. Today, I should be working towards a Bachelors degree rather than an Associate’s degree.
It’s ironic with some of the same demands on my time twenty years later, in addition others responsibilities, I’m not afforded the luxury of allowing myself to be a victim. Fortunately, as people get older they start to realize their own mortality and understand that time is of the essence. Excuses, lack of determination and drive theoretically have the same impact now as they did then but the awareness of the consequences heightens. That alone becomes motivation to start thinking and acting like a creator rather than a victim. Now for me, what I’ve changed from twenty years ago to today simply put is my mindset. A paradigm shift that involves less complaining, blaming and ineffective behavior, but consistently displays behavior that leads to good choices and finding solutions that lead to successful outcomes. Rather than continuing as a Victim, resolve to become a Creator (Mirman)
Works Cited
Mirman, David. "Do You Think like a Victim or a Creator?" You Are the Prime Mover. David Mirman, 2 Jan. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://youaretheprimemover.com/>.