How to Enhance Performance & Learning by Applying a Growth Mindset | Huberman Lab Podcast

Added: Jul 17, 2023

Huberman discusses the key features of growth mindset, emphasizing the importance of attaching our identity and motivation to effort and the process of learning, rather than to the outcome or our inherent abilities. He highlights the work of Carol Dweck, the founder of growth mindset, as well as newer research from David Yeager, Ali Crum, and others. One of the main findings in growth mindset research is that praising effort rather than intelligence leads to greater engagement and learning. Huberman explains that when children are rewarded for their effort and persistence, they are more likely to embrace challenges and perform better than those who are praised for their intelligence. He emphasizes the importance of giving feedback that is correctly attached to genuine effort and avoiding identity labels tied to performance. Huberman also discusses the stress-is-enhancing mindset, discovered by Dr. Ali Crum, which suggests that how we think about stress affects our response to it. If we believe stress is negative, it can diminish performance, but if we believe stress can enhance performance, it can actually improve it. Teaching people about the positive effects of stress has been shown to lead to better performance in various tasks. The combination of a growth mindset and a stress-is-enhancing mindset can greatly improve performance in the short and long term. Huberman cites research by Dr. David Yeager, which demonstrates that teaching students about these mindsets results in improved performance across real-world contexts. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific thoughts and cognitive processes that can increase motivation, especially in the face of challenges or setbacks. Throughout the episode, Huberman provides practical tools for cultivating a growth mindset and a stress-is-enhancing mindset. He suggests focusing on effort and analyzing errors, reframing negative thoughts, and embracing stress and frustration as opportunities for growth. He also highlights the benefits of exercise and caffeine in increasing alertness and motivation. While cultivating these mindsets may take time, Huberman emphasizes that they can be cultivated and can lead to significant improvements in performance. In conclusion, this episode of the Huberman Lab podcast provides a comprehensive exploration of growth mindset and its application in enhancing performance and learning. Huberman discusses the key features of growth mindset, the importance of praising effort, and the synergistic relationship between growth mindset and the stress-is-enhancing mindset. He offers practical tools for cultivating these mindsets and emphasizes their potential to improve performance in various domains.