The power of believing that you can improve | Carol Dweck | TED

A high school in Chicago grades students with 'Not Yet' instead of a failing grade, signifying a learning curve and a path to future improvement. This concept highlights the difference between feeling like a failure and understanding that abilities can be developed over time.

In an experiment with 10-year-olds facing slightly difficult problems, some reacted positively with a 'growth mindset,' believing their abilities could be developed. Others reacted negatively with a 'fixed mindset,' feeling their intelligence was being judged and they had failed. Those with a fixed mindset tended to cheat, seek out others who performed worse, and avoid difficulty, while those with a growth mindset explored errors deeply, learning from them.

The way children are raised, whether for immediate validation ('now') or continuous development ('yet'), significantly impacts their future. Many employers observe that young workers often seek constant validation, suggesting a fixed mindset instilled from childhood. Dweck stresses that praising effort, strategies, focus, perseverance, and improvement (process praise) creates resilient children, rather than praising intelligence or talent alone.

Praising the process, not just the outcome, helps build a growth mindset. An online math game that rewarded effort, strategy, and progress, rather than just correct answers, showed increased engagement and perseverance in students. Teaching children that their brains form new connections when they push out of their comfort zones can also lead to significant academic improvements, especially in struggling students.

Growth mindset classrooms, especially in underserved communities, have shown remarkable results in improving academic performance. Examples include a Harlem kindergarten class scoring in the 95th percentile nationally, South Bronx fourth graders becoming top in their state, and Native American students on a reservation moving from the bottom to the top of their district. This transformation occurs because effort and difficulty are re-framed as opportunities for growth and getting smarter.

A 13-year-old boy's letter illustrates the profound impact of adopting a growth mindset, leading to improvements in schoolwork, family relationships, and peer interactions. Dweck concludes that once we recognize the potential for ability growth, creating environments that foster this growth becomes a fundamental human right for all children, ensuring they live in places filled with 'yet'.