Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

Should you tell your kids they are smart or talented? Professor Carol Dweck answers this question and more, as she talks about her groundbreaking work on developing mindsets. She emphasizes the power of "yet" in helping students succeed in and out of the classroom.

Carol Dweck is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology and, by courtesy, at the Graduate School of Education. A leading expert in the field of motivation, her research has demonstrated the role of mindsets in students’ achievement and has shown how praise for intelligence can undermine motivation and learning. She has lectured to education, business and sports groups all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. She has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, Nightline and 20/20. Her bestselling book Mindset has been widely acclaimed and translated into over 20 languages.

This Stanford+Connects micro lecture was filmed on location in New York, New York. Stanford+Connects is a program of the Stanford Alumni Association.

[furrowsan]

Being labelled 'smart' my whole 16 years lead me to working on the easiest stuff to prevent failure. Now I think I have to challenge myself more even to the point of failures as a means of reeducating myself into an ever-growing minded person for the sake of my future. To all the smart kids out there, don't be surprised when the 'dumb' kids are happier than you in the future

[MrAkshayopeth]

This gave me hope, From my early childhood i had crippling social anxiety, Because of that i couldn't learn anything new efficiently, which led me to think that i was dumb. Im 26 years old now im literally working hard to change this fixed mindset into a growth one. After all these years i've realized im not dumb after all. That the human brain can achieve incredible things which was thought now possible.

[KyleHuang]

so shes the lady that change my life.
can't give enough thanks

[tornedsky]

these days, I've been seeing my past failures in a positive light. instead of feeling horrible about what've already done, I said to myself "it just shows how cool of a person you are. you were not afraid to TRY. you're a brave one. you're a winner."

[lorih]

My grandfather taught school in a one-room schoolhouse in the WV coal camps in the 30s-60s. He always told his students "there's no such thing as a dumb person, just someone who hasn't learned something yet". He challenged his kids to come to school each day ready to share something they had learned the day before, whether it was a word from a dictionary or the name of a bird in their yard or something they learned from an older relatives' college textbook. He taught them that everyone had something to share and that they could learn from each other and from parents, friends, life as well as teachers and books. Many of his students lacked shoes, coats, food. He solved those things for them by networking with families who might have hand-me-downs and from having a daily lunch for all the kids sponsored by local businesses, with leftovers strategically placed for those most in need. He figured that if you're hungry and cold you don't have the energy to learn. Some students had parents who couldn't see why their kids needed school when they did just fine signing for their paycheck with an X. He taught classes for adults who wanted to learn to read, and many of them passed on the joy of reading the Bible to their families or learning about things that they were interested in through books and the cessation of shame at being illiterate to their co-workers in the mines, so eventually that resistance lessened. I remember one gentleman coming up and shaking my hand at his funeral and gushing over how much better off the kids were being able to read, write, go to college or get a job somewhere besides the coal mines. He called Granddaddy a treasure. I think Granddaddy would have said that the kids were his treasures. We need more people who believe a first-grader can still teach a twelfth-grader something and that can communicate that there's no fear or shame in that to both of them.

[Hdom]

When I was a classroom assistant, i got into trouble for getting a kid to read a few grades above what he was supposed to be reading. He was allegedly the worst behaved boy in the school, but all I said to him: 'I believe you can read this.' He looked the happiest I had ever seen anyone, just for a moment. And he did try, he worked hard. What do the bureaucrats think is supposed to happen to any of us?

[loganblackburn]

As an aspiring artist, I’m starting to realize that my failures are not because I’m just bad at art, but because I have adopted a fixed mindset my whole life. Now I’m going to try and change into a growth mindset so that instead of “hoping” I make good art, I can make the mistakes that I have so desperately avoided my whole life. More people need the growth mindset in their life

[NickGreiner]

I am an easily discouraged person, the "not yet" idea makes a lot of sense, it gives you a reason to persist at least. I will try and apply this to areas of my life I want to improve, instead of giving up so easily or accepting my failure I'll just tell myself "not yet".

[HabitLabPodcast]

I have read "Mindset" and I read "Grit" by Angela Duckworth, and there she mentions the growth mindset research as well, and what stuck with me is how the mindset is more of PRACTICE than just a belief system you adopt . Even when we understand what the growth mindset answer to the problem is, we all still slip into some fixed mindset ways. It's like just because you KNOW what you should do means you will automatically do it every single time. We all need reminders and little practices to keep us moving in that direction. It put into perspective that this way of thinking is like a lot of things, something we have to continually work on.

[significantfrank]

Thank you professor Dweck, your research is enlightening and encouraging, i happen to read your book and transformed my mindset to growth which changed my life fundamentally, i was inferior and depressed, but now i can always see things in a growth manner, i don't fear setbacks and mistakes anymore, because i believe no one is born smart, we are smart through learning, experiencing, and making mistakes. Thank you again, hope one day you can come to china to let more people know your theory.

[camillesmith]

i use the phrase of "not yet" -- this reinforces the power of language. thanks, Carol.

[TheKatherine]

“Adults constantly raise the bar on smart children, precisely because they're able to handle it. The children get overwhelmed by the tasks in front of them and gradually lose the sort of openness and sense of accomplishment they innately have. When they're treated like that, children start to crawl inside a shell and keep everything inside. It takes a lot of time and effort to get them to open up again. Kids' hearts are malleable, but once they gel it's hard to get them back the way they were.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

[boknami]

Dear Professor Carol,

Greetings from South Korea. I hope this comment finds you well. I recently purchased and read your book <Mindset>, and I wanted to express my deep gratitude for the profound impact it has had on me. Three years ago, I quit my job with the goal of starting my own business. However, I have since struggled with inertia and have been unable to make any meaningful progress.

I was feeling frustrated and lost, unable to identify the root of my problems, when I came across your book. Through your insightful writing, I realized that I have been trapped in a fixed mindset. I was afraid of change, terrified of being judged, and constantly worried about being different from others, which ultimately hindered my growth. This realization was both shocking and enlightening, and I am deeply thankful to you for opening my eyes.

As you advocate, I am now committed to cultivating a growth mindset. Rather than living a stagnant life, I will pursue learning and growth as my primary goals. Furthermore, just as you have inspired me, I aspire to positively influence others and share my knowledge in a way that fosters their growth, as well as my own.

Please continue to write and inspire many more readers. I wish you good health and look forward to your future works. Thank you once again.

[Fortynienq]

•Not Yet>>>>now
•praising process>>>>praising result
•struggle develops your brain

[georgegray]

Growth Mindest and self-control/focus are the two key skills for life!

[aaronnerella]

As an indian, in spite of going to an international school for most of my life I feel our mindset was made to be a fixed mindset, more like if you fail a test you were just considered lesser and not motivated to aspire differently. I feel if I was brought up differently and encouraged to think differently rather than just achieve that next A would have made me have a growth mindset. I feel so sad but I hope a growth mindset takes me away from this.

[misterpisharing]

Prof. Carol Dweck has been an inspiring woman in my life. Some years ago, I was talking to a colleague who was preparing his talk to participate at a teachers' conference in Mexico. He introduced me to her work.
Last year, I had to prepare a talk based on PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS. This time, I was on my own - no sponsors, very little resources. I feel her influence had shifted my mindset, ever since, my opening or sometimes closing is always - "Keep on learning - Learning for GROWTH"

[terribooth]

I think the underlying principal that make teaachers great is the extensive care they give to a person. Lots of research is nice, but the bottom line is that a caring teacher, one who truly gives of themselves to another person, is the one that makes the difference.

[jobinjohn]

She has changed my perspective towards life. The power of growth mindset is incredible.

[rollandjoeseph]

I'm reading Carol's book " Mindset" now, and I'm 55. I had an issue with confronting a project in my house and kept kicking the can down the road, going over and over the details in fear that I wouldn't do it correctly. Until I read a passage in her book that changed my thinking and approach to my issue. I've since "went for it" and in the end it turned out great ! I'll now remember this moment and approach other challenges the same way, with a growth mindset! Thx Carol