Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn't mean that others can't do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.
Carol S. DweckRead
Emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control. They come to see themselves as in control of their success. Emphasizing natural intelligence takes it out of the child's control, and it provides no good recipe for responding to a failure.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Focusing on effort empowers children to feel in control of their success, while valuing intelligence can lead to a helpless mindset in the face of failure.
This quote by Carol S. Dweck highlights the importance of fostering a growth mindset in children by emphasizing effort over innate intelligence. When children learn that effort leads to success, they feel empowered and in control of their outcomes, which helps them to cope with setbacks. In contrast, when they believe that success is solely dependent on natural intelligence, they may feel helpless when faced with challenges, as they believe those are beyond their control.
Themes
EffortSuccessGrowth MindsetEducationControl
In practice
Example use cases
During a parent-teacher conference, a teacher explains the importance of praising students for their efforts rather than their intelligence.
More from Carol S. Dweck
All quotes →Some students start thinking of their intelligence as something fixed, as carved in stone. They worry about, 'Do I have enough? Don't I have enough?'
Carol S. DweckRead
In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you're not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn't need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented.
Carol S. DweckRead
Our message to parents is to focus on the process the child engages in, such as trying hard or focusing on the task - what specific things they're doing rather than, 'You're so smart. You're so good at this.' Although it's never too late to change, what you do early matters.
Carol S. DweckRead
Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep on going.
Carol S. DweckRead
I loved everything. I loved sciences and I loved humanities. But ultimately, I felt that in the humanities, you know, you're writing about things that already exist. But in the sciences, you're discovering things that no one has known before. Ultimately I chose psychology because it seemed to combine science with things that I liked to think about.
Carol S. DweckRead
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