Messed Up at Work? Yeah, Us Too.
Buckle up compatriots!!!
Because I'm about to share the most mortifying story of my professional life.
Then somehow turn it into a lesson about how to build a great growth mindset.
Prefer watching over reading? Video here
The Summer of the Ruckflow
Picture this: Baby Lissy, fresh out of college, pencil skirt sharper than my actual skills, backpack screaming "I STILL THINK THIS IS COOL," bouncing into my first real job at a bank like I could one-day, own the place.
My boss, blessed with the thickest Brooklyn accent known to mankind, tells me I'll be working on something that sounds like "Ruckflow."
Did I ask for clarification? No. Did I Google it? yes. Did I spend AN ENTIRE SUMMER telling everyone about my innovative ‘Ruckflow’ project? YOU BET I DID.
Turns out: It was a workflow. Work. Flow… Not a Ruckflow, which wasn’t isn't even a thing unless you're a obnoxiously enthusiastic, over-caffeinated intern making PowerPoints about imaginary business words.
For three months, I confidently presented my "Ruckflow analysis" to rooms full of adults who were too polite to ask what the @#%! I was talking about.
Welcome to Mistake City, Population: All of Us
Here's the thing—we ALL have our Ruckflow moments. Maybe yours was:
Sending "I can't stand my oppressive boss" to your boss instead of your bestie (RIP Sarah from Accounting)
Adding an extra zero to that trade and accidentally buying enough corn futures to feed Nebraska (I see you Steven from Trade Support)
Hiring that contractor your gut said no to because they seemed like a great person that could figure it out (already consulted lawyers, ask me how that's going)
This week alone I've:
Spilled my decaffeinated coffee 3x on my pants, forgot, and left the house to some incredulous stares on my daily walk …
Spent 30 minutes troubleshooting technology that wasn't plugged in
Accidentally taped a segment of my Youtube series without the mic on
Welcome to entrepreneurship and humanity, where every day is a fresh opportunity to spectacularly face-plant. In these moments, there’s all sorts of thoughts that go through your head:
A—I can’t believe…
B—You’re never going to …
C—Are you #$@ serious….
D—All of the above.
Look, when you mess up, most of us turn into our own worst enemy—treating ourselves like we just personally offended the universe. But here's the thing: mistakes are just what happens when you're actually living your life instead of bubble-wrapping yourself in a dark, windowless room.
Ms. Webster literally defines mistakes as "blunders"—aka things you can't time-travel to fix (trust me, I've checked). So since you're going to keep making them unless you plan on never leaving your house again, we might as well figure out how to stop mentally torturing ourselves every time we screw up.
As my dad says, "enjoy the ride"—even when the ride includes mortifyingly, accidentally, and enthusiastically inventing business terms…
Enter the Importance of Mindset
Mindsets are basically your Instagram filters of reality—they color everything we see and do. Your brain is basically that friend who believes everything they read on the internet. What you think, directly impacts how you feel, AND what you do.
Carol Dweck (the OG growth mindset guru) and author of “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” breaks down mindset into two camps:
A. Fixed Mindset (aka "I'm a disaster and that's my brand"): Believes intelligence, skills, and capabilities are unchangeable (or they are fixed no matter what you do)
Avoids challenges like they're gluten at a wellness retreat
Takes feedback like a vampire takes holy water
Wants to appear smarter than business casual at a wedding
B. Growth Mindset (aka "I'm a student and always learning"): Believes intelligence, skills, and capabilities can be developed (or you can grow them over time)
Embraces challenges like free samples at Costco
Treats feedback like GPS directions when lost
Wants to learn as much as me, during my internship
Obviously, the growth mindset is the one we're after here—it's like choosing between a Ferrari and a kiddie tricycle for your brain.
But here's the twist: You're not all growth or all fixed. You're probably killing it with a growth mindset in some areas (maybe you learned TikTok dances at 35?) while being completely fixed in others (still refuse to believe you could be "a math person").
So here's the million-dollar question: HOW do you actually build this growth mindset thing? Like, beyond just putting inspirational quotes on your bathroom mirror…
The Growth Mindset Workout Plan
Ready to turn your Ruckflows into real flows? You can find a dramatic retelling of this story AND a MYNDY training regimen for the growth mindset in my new Youtube Video here:
Thank you, as always, for your time and mind ✅🌱🧠