I’m just no good at basketball
Imagine yourself out with your friends playing basketball for hours. The whole game you failed to even sink one ball in the basket. What would you be saying to yourself when that game finishes? Carol Dweck’s studies suggest that those with a fixed mindset would say something like, “I’m just no good at basketball” and then proceed to give up.
This is because people that are more aligned with the fixed mindset will be more likely to believe that talent and intelligence are fixed traits. You either have them or you don’t, and that determines your success in whatever you do. So, if you can’t dunk the ball in the basket, get off the court, because it’s just not for you.
Carol Dweck has found that people with this mindset often give up quickly, avoid any kinds of challenges, ignore any feedback that is negative, and tend to downplay or feel threatened by the success of others. Do any of these characteristics strike a chord with you?
I’m just no good at basketball… YET
Now run that same scenario again. The game ends and you were truly terrible. Dweck’s studies would suggest that those with a growth mindset would say ,”I’m no good at basketball, yet”. YET. The single word that makes all the difference.
This is because people with a growth mindset believe that dedication and persistence trumps talent and intelligence. This develops in them a love to learn and a resilience to whatever they face. So, if you can’t dunk the ball, get back on the court and practice, because it’s just not for you YET.
Common traits among people with a growth mindset is that they embrace challenges, learn from criticism, become inspired by the success of others, and pursue effort because it leads to mastery. Do you see yourself in here? Do you perhaps want this to be your mindset or maybe the mindset of your loved ones and team? In a moment you will be presented with the tool to do just that, but first answer this. What’s the first name that pops up when you think of basketball?
The first name was probably Michael Jordan or maybe Lebron James. If you guessed that then high-five (Don’t leave us hanging). For now we shall stick with Michael Jordan. Michael is not just a legend of basketball, but of sports in general. His name has been thrown around with all the legends in a category which is titled G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). Naturally, you may think he had some inherent trait or quality that just made him better than everybody else, however, you would be wrong.
Michael Jordan got cut from his varsity team, was not recruited by his college of choice, and got rejected by the first two teams that were able to draft him. Now that’s a steaming pile of rejection that would get most people to stick to their day jobs.
What if Michael had a fixed mindset? He would have given up after the first few rejections, because he would think that he simply does not have what it takes to make it in the basketball world. That would mean no 6 times NBA champion, no 6 times NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, no 5 times overall NBA Most Valuable Player, and most importantly, NO Space Jam!
Now, what if Michael Jordan had a growth mindset? Well, he did and managed to have one of the greatest sporting careers of all time. He used the power of yet.
After perusing through the two different mindsets, you may have come to a conclusion on where you might mostly align with, or maybe where your team mostly aligns with. It has also become clear that a growth mindset is crucial for achieving great things. Perhaps revealing to your team the power of yet could be the first step to inspiring them to truly outstanding achievements, and nothing inspires better than a powerful talk.
This is the time to save your loved ones and your team from the tyrannical rule of ‘NO’ and bring them into the power of ‘YET’! Sign up and get access to a free coaching video and rehearsal deck, crafted by professional speakers, on the Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. Watch the video, practice your presentation, stand up deliver a talk like a pro, and teach you r team how to achieve greater success.
