Growth Mindset

1959 Philip Toshio Sudo 2002

"Take me to the sunshine in the Park,

Whisper that you love me in the dark"

Love, Tracy, Naomi, Keith & Jonathan

Growth Mindset  is, in so many words, is to acknowledge an individual for their effort, rather than tying their identity to their, "talent."

"Great hustle today" after a win OR a loss vrs. "You're so talented" subsequent only to a victory.

Meg let's call her, is a phenomenal artist : actor, painter, writer, singer, poet, designer, film-maker etc.

Years into our friendship, having booked a couple of Broadway shows, Meg asked me to be her date to accept an award for a short story competition she'd won. I commented on how multi-faceted she was as an artist:

"But I think," she muses, "My parents... every time I made something and presented it to them (if I had worked hard on it and done my best) would say, "Good job,Meg!" and, of course there's no way of knowing but I think that that morsel of praise made me want to make more work and I then GOT good at a lot of things I might not have been otherwise because I was always motivated to create."

Effort based feedback, is the sunshine in the park. A heartfelt, "you didn't get the role, but a call back means you're doing a good job. Keep going."

Should talent based feedback be distributed willy nil he? No. Saying everyone is special is another way of saying no one is. These moments however are the "I love yous in the dark."

We all have talents but even an amazing artist in hour 4,362 or their 10,000 could, every now and again, use a, "good job, Meg!" from someone they care about. Especially if that someone is one you'd like to see keep going.