I’m excited to learn that more than 3,000 visitors have read my post, How to be brilliant, since last Sunday. That post grew out of David Shenk’s new book, The Genius in All of Us. It was largely focused on the research of Anders Ericsson, the well-known father of “deliberate practice.”
But we know that deliberate practice is hard. It’s so hard that no one can do it without the benefit of motivation, a lot of motivation. What can we do to develop that motivation? Why is it so many of us seem to fall apart when we face the challenges of deliberate practice? The answer is surprising. Carol Dweck, the leading expert in motivation and personality theory, has discovered that the key to growth and perseverance is our mindset. In more than 20 years of research, she’s discovered that our mindset is not a minor personality quirk.
The motivational mindset unfolds and drives every aspect of our lives. Long-term motivation grows out of a very basic mindset, the growth mindset. This is not about taking more risks or believing in yourself. Instead, as Dweck says, the belief (mindset) that your qualities can be grown leads to a “host of different thoughts and actions, taking you down an entirely different road.” What can you do to develop a growth or mastery-oriented mindset—so that you will face up to your challenges rather than be overwhelmed by them? Dweck has found that a focus on effort, thinking about what you could do to stay on track, and the information you can gather is the key to genius.
Here, then, are Dweck’s five keys to brilliance, the fuel for genius. Notice that all five keys are connected, and that the mindset changes what we strive for and what we see as success.
1. The belief that effort is a positive, constructive force. Success is not mistake-free or always about winning. Those are the wrong issues. Success is about preparation and and effort.
2. Development and progress are important—not just the product or the outcome. Undue emphasis on testing can be harmful if it conveys to students that the whole point of school is to do well on these tests, and if it conveys to them that how well they do sums up their intelligence. Jack Welch, Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy are fascinating because they transformed their companies by putting a culture of growth and teamwork in its place. These people talk journey, an inclusive, learning-filled journey, rather than about their own royalty.
3. Substantial change, stretch and growth are the business of life, and that’s a lot of fun. In today’s volatile business world, stretch and growth are the key ingredients for success. My paper, “Bluff your way into a new job,” is all about stretch growth. Research shows that stretch growth provides some of the very best work opportunities.
4. Brains can become bigger. Challenge is good. Daniel Coyle’s fascinating book, The Talent Code, nails the issue: Greatness isn’t born. It’s Grown.
5. Being on a learning edge is the smart thing to do. Gains from occasional training or developmental experiences are useful. But the really smart approach to your career is staying in the learning mode all the time. The research shows that the more we learn, the easier and faster we can learn. Success in the talent age requires constant learning.
Changing how you feel about yourself and your future liberates you to focus on effort. It makes motivation a part of daily living.
In an interview, Carol Dweck summarizes the most important findings of her research. This is what she has to say:
What has intrigued me most in my 30 years of research is the power of motivation. Motivation is often more important than your initial ability in determining whether you succeed in the long run. In fact, many creative geniuses were not born that way. They were often fairly ordinary people who became extraordinarily motivated.
By motivation, I mean not only the desire to achieve, but also the love of learning, the love of challenge, and the ability to thrive on obstacles. These are the greatest gifts. . . .