How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – For Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers

Embracing a growth mindset means to get pleasure out of changing for the better (which is mostly inwardly rewarding) instead of getting pleasure in being praised (which is outwardly rewarding). The orientation towards the latter makes one stick to safe, proven areas. The orientation towards the first draws the attention to the areas most in need of improvement.

A good workflow can easily turn into a virtuous circle, where the positive

experience motivates us to take on the next task with ease, which helps us to get better at what we are doing, which in return makes it more likely for us to enjoy the work, and so on.

Multitasking is not what we think it is. It is not focusing attention on more than one thing at a time. Nobody can do that. When we think we multitask, what we really do is shift our attention quickly between two (or more) things. And every shift is a drain on our ability to shift and delays the moment we manage to get focused again. Trying to multitask fatigues us and decreases our ability to deal with more than one task.

Seeking feedback, not avoiding it, is the first virtue of anyone who wants to learn, or in the more general terms of psychologist Carol Dweck, to grow. Dweck shows convincingly that the most reliable predictor for long-term success is having a "growth mindset." To actively seek and welcome feedback, be it positive or negative, is one of the most important factors for success (and happiness) in the long run.

We unfortunately tend to confuse familiarity with skill.

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editor can improve an argument.