Growth Mindset.pdf

People often assume others are more talented or intelligent when they outdo them, but it's possible they just used better strategies, practiced harder, and worked through obstacles. Ability only triumphs with opportunity, motivation, and volition. Those with a growth mindset show character and heart, are open to challenge and feedback, resilient, and convinced that individual effort makes a difference. They learn well with others, attribute success and failure to their efforts, and are likely to rise to the top.

Praising children for intelligence can be harmful, as it prizes speed and perfection above learning. Instead, praise effort, saying "I think that was too easy, let's do something you can really learn from!" or "I've noticed the effort you're putting into...". This helps children develop a growth mindset, loving learning, seeking challenges, valuing effort, and persisting in the face of obstacles.

Fixed mindset thinking can result in a false sense of superiority, fear of failure, and a desire to blame others, while growth mindset thinking leads to a love for learning, desire to be challenged, and emotional resilience. Parents can help children develop a growth mindset by praising effort, encouraging deliberate practice, discussing errors as opportunities to learn, and teaching them to talk back to their fixed mindset internal voice.