Shaping the Perception of Progress to Unlock a Child’s Motivation

Perception is how we process our thoughts to create our reality. Although perception is not reality and instead is one’s interpretation of reality, perception does still create one’s reality. The age-old metaphor of viewing the glass half empty or half full is the classic example of perception creating one’s reality. The reality of the person […]

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How Parents Accidently Teach Their Children to Have a Shortcut Mindset

I write often about motivation and mindset. Motivation is the energy to act. Mindset is a thought pattern that directly impacts how one leads their life. Today I want to point out a common parenting scenario that links these two together. I always tell parents specifically that they should avoid using extrinsic motivation with their […]

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A Warning Against Praising Effort that leads to Low Expectations

One of the primary recommendations Carol Dweck, Ph.D. makes on fostering a growth mindset is to avoid praising outcomes. As you probably already know, many consider Dweck as the preeminent expert on the growth mindset. So, her recommendations carry weight. However, many well-meaning parents, coaches and teachers interpret her recommendations in a vacuum. As a […]

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