Labels are just words. But once we accept labels, we emotionalize them and, sadly, often end up living them as our reality. Words can be a great tool as well. When used wisely, they enable us to communicate effectively by converting the abstract to something more tangible, which is necessary if we want to interact and make sense of the physical world around us. They allow us to develop relationships and to entertain or enlighten one another. They are the common intellectual currency of all societies.
Words can also be a weapon. When used in anger or without thought for the consequence of their interpretation - as in the use of labels to describe someone - they can be as destructive as any knife or gun. A teacher who labels a child as a "C student," a classmate that labels a peer as "stupid" or a parent that labels a child as "a slow learner" can cut to the core with these words and contribute to creating a fixed mindset that traps a child into living the label.
We all understand the potentially destructive nature of negative labels, but what about the potential destructive nature of positive labels? Seems odd, but they can be just as limiting. Say, for example, a young boy is labeled "the kid with amazing athletic ability; a natural." As a young child he may be able to overpower other children due to a size, strength or coordination advantage. But what if the child begins to believe the label and feels that his God-given talent doesn't require work for improvement? I mean, he is superior to all the other kids so why work at it? But then the other children begin to grow and catch up in terms of size, strength and athleticism. All of the sudden, "the natural" is just average.
In her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, world-renowned Stanford professor Carol Dweck describes a person with a "fixed mindset" as someone who feels they were endowed with a set level of intellectual ability, creative ability, physical ability, etc. And no amount of effort will get them to a more advanced place. Once the mindset is fixed, the person will have a tendency to only try those things that they feel are within the realm of their set abilities. Unfortunately, this creates the condition in which a person tends to have success in the limited realm in which they try, but generally underachieve based on their God-given potential.
Those with a "growth mindset," on the other hand, understand that with hard work and applied effort, they can improve and grow in any area of life. In fact, Dweck explains how recent scientific research shows that the brain is more like a muscle - it changes and gets stronger with use. As a person tackles new and tough challenges, the neurons fire and gain strength for future application.
Our muscles and our ability to be creative are no different. We always have the ability to grow and improve if we believe in ourselves, apply ourselves to challenging situations and work hard at our chosen endeavors. The growth is even more dramatic in areas where we bring passion to fuel the hard work and focus.
So let's work to live our lives without labels. Let's not label others or label ourselves. And if we see someone else labeling, let's step in and remove it. Why not live each moment in a growth mindset where every new challenge is an opportunity to expand our horizons and move a bit closer to fulfilling the potential built into us at birth.
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