Parents are in search of the magic bullet that will make their children flourish. School districts look for the latest and greatest curricular trend to improve test scores and make the students academically successful. In the book Deeper Learning, Eric Jensen and LeAnn Nickelson share the anecdote:

A successful graduate of Eugene Lang School in the Bronx was making a speech to the sixth graders at a low-income middle school graduation. At the last minute, he tore up his rah-rah speech and made a shocking pledge that he would pay for the college tuition if any of the kids from that class who went on to graduate from high school. …. During the next six years, nothing changed in the curriculum, instruction, or assessment in the schools for those 61 kids. Statistically, 30 of them would graduate from high school…58 of the 61 kids graduated from high school and went on the college. The group of kids gave the school the highest graduation rate it ever had. Hope is a powerful thing (p 50).

The search is over. Evidence strongly suggests that success is linked to hope, motivation, and mindset.

Most people have never heard of mindset. Mindset is the seed that cultivates hope and motivation within an individual. Carol Dweck, of Stanford University, is the guru in understanding how mindset impacts success. Mindset is the perception of one’s abilities in all areas life: academic, artistic and athletic capabilities, and habits of the mind. There are two classifications of mindsets: a fixed and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is the belief that one cannot change. Intelligence and natural abilities are set, thus, performance is predetermined and nothing will change the outcome. A growth mindset is the belief that every event, whether good or bad, is a learning experience. Hard work and determination increase intellect and produce the desired results in the world of academia, sports, music, etc. A growth mindset encourages one to take on challenges and try new and exciting adventures.

Parents can begin to change the mindset of a child to focus on work ethic and not performance. When a child earns an “A” on a test, parents often will praise saying, “You are so smart.” Dweck observes that this statement instills that fixed mindset. Kids begin to believe that they earned an ‘A’ based on the natural given abilities. This is far for the truth. On the other hand, when a child does well, parent should state, ‘I am so proud of you! You must have worked really hard!’ Simple comments over time help to shift a child from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

Additionally, reflecting on how your child can improve is a life skill which will never be wasted. Maxwell Gladwell’s book Outliers, mentions is takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any area. We need to remind our children that excelling in anything takes time and hard work. The instant gratification and the fast and easy lifestyle have permeated into the minds of our children. Kids think that everything should be simple and undemanding. If they struggle, then there is something wrong with them. When a child adopts a growth mindset, hope and motivation naturally are instilled.

Take time this summer to read the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. It will shift your paradigm. It will help to transform the conversations you have with your children thus making your children more resilient, giving them the gift of perseverance, and a good attitude about hard work. Happy Reading!

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