Dr. David Yeager: How to Master Growth Mindset to Improve Performance 

I have taught kindergarten for 36 years. I have never been more inspired and empowered to teach science, health and physical education than I am now, during my last years as an educator. Thank you Dr. Huberman, guests and commenters.

When I taught first grade i would take time the first day of school and every morning of the year to talk about this. I would begin with drawing of a brain “with no wrinkles” then we would talk about things they have learned and every time I would add a “wrinkle” on either side of the brain and we talked about how every time they practiced something the wrinkle would get longer and deeper and soon connect with other wrinkles. All year long we would talk about wrinkles and connections and apply this idea to everything we learned about. I loved it, and so did they!! Even my lowest students were excited when they finally understood something and knew that their brains were working so hard to make a connection and that it would eventually happen if they didn’t stop trying.

00:14 🧠 Growth mindset, as defined by Yeager, is the belief that abilities can change under the right conditions, not just through effort alone. 01:12 🏫 Yeager shares insights on applying growth mindset not only for personal learning but also for educators, coaches, and within various group settings. 04:26 📚 Growth mindset interventions typically involve short sessions aimed at persuading individuals to adopt a different mindset, supported by scientific information, relatable stories, and personal narrative writing. 08:03 🔄 A study by David Yeager and Carol Dweck highlights the difference in response between fixed and growth mindsets when faced with failure, emphasizing the importance of openness to self-improvement. 10:38 💡 Growth mindset interventions aim to change individuals' lay theories, guiding them to interpret challenges as opportunities for growth rather than fixed limitations. 15:27 📝 Writing narratives about overcoming challenges reinforces the lay theory of growth mindset, encouraging individuals to perceive difficulties as temporary and surmountable. 21:02 ⚙ Yeager emphasizes the importance of addressing effort beliefs alongside growth mindset, as the perception of effort as a sign of lacking potential can hinder growth mindset adoption and application. 23:04 📉 Growth mindset research now integrates the physiological aspect of stress and frustration, understanding that interpreting stress properly is crucial for skill development and mental well-being. 24:44 🧠 Marrying growth mindset with stress appraisal psychology helps individuals interpret stress as a resource rather than a hindrance to performance. 28:37 🔄 Reframing stress as a performance enhancer rather than a detriment can lead to a shift in stress physiology and mindset. 32:51 💡 Language deficit exists in how stress is understood and communicated, impacting our ability to interpret physiological arousal effectively. 37:04 🧠 Stressor appraisal distinguishes between the stressor itself and the stress response, offering leverage in managing stress and enhancing performance. 42:56 🔢 Matching perception of demand with belief in resources is key to shifting from a threat to a challenge response to stress, optimizing performance. 45:25 💡 "Mentor mindset" addresses the challenge of motivating individuals while providing critical feedback, balancing high standards with support. 49:17 🧠 The "protector mindset" shields individuals from stress by avoiding high standards, while the "enforcer mindset" sets high standards without support. 50:11 📚 Combining high standards and high support is crucial for effective feedback, fostering growth and motivation. 51:33 💬 Wise feedback, emphasizing high standards and support, isn't about magic phrases but about showing genuine care and respect. 56:04 🧠 Human striving, driven by a pursuit of change and improvement, is deeply rooted in the brain's constant learning process. 01:05:57 🧪 Testosterone levels, rising during adolescence in both genders, are associated with neural changes related to social status seeking and striving. 01:06:37 🔀 Striving reflects a fundamental neural circuit applicable to various pursuits, suggesting potential carryover of growth mindset across different domains of life. 01:07:30 🧠 Growth mindset applies broadly to various traits, but domain-specific mindsets also exist. 01:08:55 🎻 Domain-specific mindsets are more predictive of behavior than general mindsets. 01:09:36 🌍 When addressing sensitive topics, abstract mindset interventions may be more effective than specific ones. 01:13:15 📚 Growth mindset interventions may be more effective for individuals facing challenges in supportive environments. 01:16:04 💼 Combining psychological interventions like growth mindset with sociological considerations can enhance outcomes. 01:17:28 🚀 Growth mindset removes cultural and social barriers, facilitating natural goal pursuit. 01:21:45 🧭 Emotions, particularly affective regions, play a significant role in training the prefrontal cortex for goal pursuit. 01:26:53 📈 Fear of loss can be more motivating than the prospect of gain, influencing decision-making and behavior. 01:29:20 🌱 Fostering an environment where people feel capable of making meaningful contributions can lead to extraordinary outcomes. 01:30:02 💡 Successful mentors and coaches focus on supporting individuals to achieve remarkable goals and shine, rather than instilling fear of failure or loss. 01:31:36 🏀 In professional sports, emphasizing the long-term benefits of skill development and impact on others over fear of loss can motivate athletes to embrace change and excel. 01:32:48 🌍 Embracing a mindset focused on making a positive impact on others or the world can provide deeper satisfaction and fulfillment than merely avoiding loss or seeking personal gain. 01:34:11 📊 Research shows that finding meaning in life through contributions to others is a strong predictor of life satisfaction and well-being. 01:35:07 🧠 Purpose-driven motivation, centered around making a meaningful contribution to others, leads to deeper learning, greater persistence, and higher performance. 01:40:09 🌟 Attaching motivation to making a positive impact on others can transform the experience of effort from a burden to a reward, enhancing both individual satisfaction and societal benefit. 01:50:55 🤝 "Contribution mindset" is about valuing meaningful striving and balance rather than ego-driven obsession with individual stories. 01:52:20 🤝 Combining self-interest with pro-social contributions motivates more than sacrifice for future rewards alone. 01:54:24 🏗 Ethical product design and management practices emphasize quality, integrity, and benefit to users, fostering better work and outcomes. 01:55:35 💼 Encouraging employees to make meaningful contributions beyond their role can lead to personal growth and career advancement. 01:57:13 💡 A culture of growth encourages examining mistakes as part of the learning process, fostering ethical behavior and organizational improvement. 02:00:42 🧠 Hypercriticism or cynicism online might stem from a desire for self-protection rather than genuine contribution or improvement. 02:04:48 🎓 A culture of growth values honesty, critique, and learning from mistakes, fostering individual and collective progress. 02:12:29 🌱 Providing supportive yet demanding critiques fosters growth and development effectively. 02:12:43 💬 Gleaning critique from credible sources is essential for personal and professional growth, highlighting the importance of community support. 02:13:35 🎓 Drive and motivation are valued more than standardized test scores or prior experience in certain academic settings. 02:14:44 💡 Standardized test scores can be inadequate measures of meritocracy and equality of opportunity, often reflecting socio-economic advantages rather than true ability. 02:16:32 🎓 The focus should shift from admissions criteria to post-admission support and mentoring to break the link between past advantages and future success. 02:17:28 🤔 Personal experiences and a desire to make a positive impact motivated Dr. Yeager to focus on mindset research.

I rarelly (maybe never) comment on your channel as you read all comments, just wanted to say that you are an amazing teacher for me, very articulate, I love listening tvo your videos that are so interesting, The David Goggins video with the part that grows when doing something you don't like made me finaly move forwards. Your personnal life is your personnal life, I don't gaf. Continue to educate us Mr Hero. You doing great

Stressed about being stressed, _“Metacognitive layered loop of being stuck in your own mind and interpreting your arousal in the worse possible light.”_ This got me. Wow.

I am in my 60s. For last few years, since I was following Dr. Huberman, I have grown so strong in my life, in all areas. Thanks to you, I have more tools that I daily use, which are so helpful.

One of the best episodes to ever be released. The amount of views is criminal

"Mistakes are part of the process" Very important !

Here's a masterclass with 2 people that are changing the world beyond measure. So so grateful there are people like you brave enough to actually get in the arena.

This was such a beautiful, incredibly meaningful podcast episode. Surprise, surprise, in the lowest period of my life (teenage years), Viktor Frankl's quote, "He who has a why can bear any how," was my anthem. Very apt quote in the Purpose Motivation section, and it sounds like an awesome paper that I'd love to read sometime.

Mondays can be hard to get back into the routine of work but these podcasts Andrew, makes it all so motivating to kick ass this week

The Huberman Lab podcast has introduced me to ideas that have bettered my life. From a guy that spent all his time computer gaming and drinking, I've gotten really fit, do cold plunges, got my nutrition and sleep on point, and have begun a myriad of other protocols that have drastically improved my wellbeing. Not only that, but I have an understanding of the mechanisms of how they work. I tell my friends about the topics you discuss, and I see changes in them too. There is really nothing else like the Huberman Lab. Thank you so much for you and your team's efforts. ❤

Thank you for bringing this vital information to us!! ❤❤❤

I appreciated his use of the term “yard sale” during the skiing description….this dude shreds for sure.

Changing lives this man deserves the best.

Top 3 listens - Robert Lustig, Becky Kennedy, and David Yeager. WOW! All three so knowledgeable, and in my professional and personal areas of interest (pediatric neuropsychology). Double listens for all!

“The person who knows the why for their existence, is able to bear any how”. Can’t believe how inspiring and powerful this episode is! ❤I was looking forward to see an episode about the “why”, and here it is! I’m in the process of looking for the why myself and trying to get out of depression in the past 5month and this episode just brought me to the new level and made me believe in myself. Than you very much Dr. Huberman and Dr. Yeager.

Dr Yeager is spot on.. there are two ways to gamma.. through the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.. Sympathetic leads to panic and parasympathetic leads to the mom who lifts the car off of her child..

Thank you Dr. Huberman! You continue to improve our lives weekly! Please keep doing what you do!

I've been waiting for this episode ever since he mentioned inviting Dr. David Yeager onto the podcast last year. Finally.

Huberman content genuinely and objectively inspires me to be a better person for myself and others.

I went to sleep listening to things. Somewheres along I was woken by something Dr. David was saying. The guy looks so young yet he sounds like he's lived many lives

Thank you Andrew Huberman, for this wonderful episode. I am greatful for your diligence in getting podcasts out every Monday, no matter what.

Dr Yeager was an absolute delight. I had to watch a couple of times to get all of the gems and appreciated your recall, enquiry and input Dr Huberman as always 🌿.

ONE OF THE BEST HUBERMAN PODCASTS EVER! I am LOCKED IN this is such a great lecture

That was a beautiful episode. I understand how rewarding teaching can be. I really miss the sense of satisfaction and peace I had in my life when I was nursing. But 5 years into early retirement, I’ve been pretty lost. So I’m going back to music. It’s the same feeling. It’s the benevolent give and take between you and your audience, your partner, your friends, your colleagues. It really does apply to everything. If your motivation is truly the greater good of the joint venture, good things will come. Thank you both for your work. This is just confirmation that acts of gratitude and kindness can contribute to a happier life.

Love it “this stress is actually helping”.

Another great video, I really like his growth mindset model. Its refreshing to hear someone motivate students not only by what they will achieve, but how will can help others. That promotes them to become successful, but also good people. I do also see those online that continually post nasty negative comments , not constructive criticism. I believe that is either personally driven or something lacking in themselves. To feel better by making someone feel inferior or bad. As long as I am doing my very best, and not harming others. I remember a saying my dad would repeat to others , "If they are picking on you...they are leaving somebody else alone."

In Candace Pert’s book ‘Molecules of Emotion’ she says that “the stress response unifies all cells to a call for action.”

I love this talk because it validates that there is value behind striving to inspire others and to choose love over fear.

I stayed up till 2 to finish this.

This episode felt deeply reverent. Dr Yeager is truly a man of heart-felt and actionable service, and Dr Huberman, you listened and unfurled the topic with devotion. Thank you both.

Thank You So much Dr. Huberman You are one of the best personality on the planet earth. You have improved the lives of millions of people. Keep going ❤

I taught at church yesterday and referenced "stress" / "arousal" associated with youth (or adult speaking or teaching in church. Two brilliant folks in my class said, "You mean 'eustress." I think that may be the work you missed.

Bro i appreciate your podcast. I used to watch them to enhance my just listening skills. But now i am just engaged with watching them to develop my healh performance and so on

The beauty of science! And it shall come to pass, it shall happen in our daily lives, regardless of how hopeless the world looks now. The power of human spirit.

As discussed about ‘striving’… Our left brain constantly compares the perception of the current moment to the past and sets an expectation of the future.. and as you said on a previous show.. we have a belief effect. That belief sets up an expectation.. and we are created with the Physiology meet that expectation.. With early childhood Trauma, that mechanism gets hijacked by the sympathetic for survival..which creates looping thoughts that don’t get broken down by monoamine oxidase A. With low alleles, we take a rigid mindset to survive.. this inhibits our dopamine release and our ability to focus on ‘striving’ ..

Can't wait for a few years ahead when everything gets together into focusing on creating the right practice for internalizing belifes as first barrier in health and mental problems. Can't wait for science so support and focus hard on the programming and reprogramming of the subconscious. Milton Erickson must be excited also from the heavens.

I’ve been on a self improvement journey all 2024 and the videos on this channel have been essential to my continued effort and growth.

I started in martial arts when I was 15 years old lesson feedback was immediate, direct and harsh. Instructors expectation was that students were there to get their feedback. They didn't worry about how the student would react. Students who didn't adapt to the instruction were free to leave. Motivation must come from within.

I have a 14 and 16 year old. This came just in time! Thank you!

*Science is great at discovering how the things that we already know work, work. The truly wise among us make a practice of such effective habits long before the science catches up with the "how".* 28:00 *Tony Robbins explained this best 30+ years ago and has been using the power of reframing to save many lives and fuel the success of many more.*

"We underestimate how willing young people are, or really anyone is, to bear through things that are hard and difficult if they have a strong why" "[At correlational studies in global surveys of happiness] the best predictor of life satisfaction and well-being is going to be the meaning of your life, in particular the feeling like you're connected to others, you've contributed to others, that there was something of value in your life to others or to the world" I love those two interconnected ideas 👆 And I also love Dr. Yeager's way of explaining, his adeptness in linking concepts and data (studies, books, various publications...).

Just expressing my gratitude for the Huberman Podcast. thank you, Dr. Huberman, for all your efforts to bring science to the public at zero-cost & concept that make it honestly compelling to grasp. You're the best!

I remember watching Carol Dweck's TED Talk on growth mindset and it was one of those life changing moments where you remember exactly where you were watching it. I believe it has changed the course of my life. This video now feels like that 2.0.

This reminds me of the ideas in the book Thriving with Anxiety by David Rosmarin. He would be a good guest. As a person whose parents were both very anxious ( and high achieving) people, I am wired for it plus I learned it from them. Learning how to harness the energy of anxiety and stress is a game-changer.

I would absolutely love to have you do a podcast with the author of From Punk to Monk, Ray Cappo. I think it would be right up your alley. I love your podcasts. I was especially moved by your podcast with Coleman Ruiz, outstanding, impacting, and so informative. ❤️❤️❤️

"I have a small friendship group... By that I mean I have no friends apart from the people I work with" 👌 Big thank you both for the enjoyment as I make notes on these wonderful insights.

Hey Andrew just wanted to say in regards to using language to reframe stress as something positive and beneficial, there is a word “Eustress” which is exactly that.

Andrew, could you possibly do a podcast with a renowned cardiovascular surgeon/MD on life after a heart attack? I feel that people in my area (N.AZ) are being neglected horribly because of “traveling doctors” and being subjected or told to have unnecessary tests or procedures. I am 126 lbs, never smoked, eat healthy and was never overweight. It’s my father’s side of the family that this comes to me. Thank you in advance. Appreciate you, Marianne

Rather than stress, arousal, or readiness - during my workshops and sessions one word I use to destigmatise and emphasise is ‘activated’ - it’s the word that seems most appropriate for the physiological component and often the racing mind too.

I feel enlightened whenever I hear Andrew talk about the human system . This feeling makes me happy and blessed. Please also cover *"Lymph nodes"* and *"accupressure points "* Thanks , please keep doing these and bear in mind these podcasts/ lectures feel real good and brings way more positive impact on many of our lives . If you feel the same way , like so we can get an episode on lymphatic system.

2 Very positive driven people, with beautiful intentions, explaining the science on getting better as a person in simple understandable terms! Great video

Beautiful lecture. I loved how Dr Yeager said we should reframe stress. And we should make stress a resource rather than something we try to avoid.

Bring Eren Yeager pleeeease!

Mr. Hubberman is very intelligent. I learn a lot from his channel. Thank you very sir.❤

Instead of being stressed out, I’m pumped up

I put phone with this podcast on to my front pocket in my trousers. I really hope he listens...

We bought one of the aero press coffee makers and we love it. It does make the best coffee

"Achievement is its own reward." -Major Garland Briggs, USAF (Twin Peaks)

GOTTA KEEP MOVING FORWARD !!!!

I had a vocal teacher that never gave me positive feedback until the last week of class when I was by myself in the room. He said I was the best signer in the whole school. But for 2 years never once gave me positive feedback because he thought I already knew how good I was. I didn’t. He broke my spirit and I’ve never fully recovered.

insights on combining growth and stress-enhancing mindsets offer powerful tools for personal and professional development. This approach not only reframes challenges but also equips us to harness stress as a catalyst for growth and achievement. 👍

This is one of my favorite, most important topics too! The “WHY?”. Yeager distills this topic down to the core and so eloquently. Poetry….thank you Hubs for teasing out the highlights of this subject. Bravo to you both.

I've actually been entranced with this idea of growth mindset since first hearing about it from you, even got the Mindset book by Carol Dweck. Had a long drive and was just listening to your other podcast on growth mindset then today this is uploaded. It reminds me of when the year started I was listening to a podcast of yours on pain, and I thought to myself "I'm surprised he doesn't have a podcast with goggins, he knows a lot about pain" and I go check to see you has uploaded one THAT DAY... ik you're into neuroscience but get out my head haha

Ideas for new language: -instead of “stress” or “arousal”: activation. -instead of “I am stressed “: I am worried. Great episode!

The growth mindset has inspired me to create a series of videos on my channel. Very essential and foundational information!

I might be wrong, but it seems there are indicators in Dr. Yeagers appearance and voice that point out he might have had a hard childhood and upbringing. It is just speculation and not intended to defame him in any way, it just makes his work even more interesting, as I try to educate myself on the topic of childhood trauma, which seems to get stored in someones body and suppresses your mindset to a very low level. Great episode. Thank you

Thank you and Dr Yeager for this wonderful episode. A lot of insights, and his personal story is so heartwarming ❤

As a homeschool mom who was raised under fixed mindset this is super helpful!! Also Dr. Huberman I won’t tell my cat you said that 👀

Thank you so much for all that you do, Dr. Huberman. You communicate the nuanced details of science so clearly and effectively to both groups who have some background knowledge with the topics and who are learning such topics for the first time. And I am so happy that Dr. Yeager came on your podcast. Three years ago, I was a sophomore at Stanford, and I was on the pre-med track. But I wasn't so sure that medicine is what was for me. Then I was introduced to psychology (through growth mindset research), which I fell in love with. At first, it was really hard to learn how research is conducted and why it works. At the time, I was very interested in learning more about fitness and health, so I found your podcast. And you explained research and science behind exercise and health protocols so clearly that I was able to connect the things you said to my classes, boosting my performance. Then it was even sweeter when you had Dr. Alia Crum, who is one of my role models and was my social psych prof. It was just awesome to learn more about her work from her own perspective! You are an awesome host for giving experts a platform and making them feel comfortable and safe when talking about their research, considering the negative (not constructive) criticism that sadly happens in academia. After listening to this podcast with Dr. Yeager, you and Dr. Yeager inspire me to go back and relearn all about mindset research. I had the great opportunity to meet Carol Dweck in person and ask her questions about mindset research, and she was absolutely phenomenal. She is funny, outspoken, and obviously very knowledgeable about mindsets. I would really like to see her on your podcast not only because she's amazing, but also because she knows how to communicate mindset research in a way that doesn't lead to ambiguity and makes you feel enlightened. I think alot of people would benefit from having her on your podcast. Again, thank you so much Dr. Huberman for all that you do!

Leaving this episode with a swell of motivation and hope for myself and my parenting. Taking "contribution mindset" and running with it. 😂 Thank you both ♡

when I learned about the growth mindset in an 11th grade it changed the trajectory of my life for the better

I feel so grateful to have listened and watched this. I am inspired to apply this not only in my practice as a healthcare provider but also in my own life! Thank you so much!

I am 65 this year and I can apply his thoughts on my future self, thanks guys

Awareness is the word your looking for Dr. Huberman. Level of awareness.

One idea that really stood out to me was that people with a growth mindset, if they did something bad, always look up to those who did better and try to understand what those people did to achieve better results. In contrast, those who look down on others who did worse and thus feel better that they are somehow better, in contrast, do not have a growth mindset. I frequently catch myself doing that whenever I write a test or exam, and it is not as good as I expected. I try to find out what my friends received, and if they have lower grades, I kind of calm down (not get happy). But this is definitely wrong. I realized that I had better see what greater people did. I once heard that if you want to start a business, don't tell your plans to someone who is working a 9 to 5 regime, or if you want to start a blog, don't share your ideas who has no connection with the blog because they might kill your dreams and goals. So I learned a valuable lesson: not to compare myself with comparably lower people but to look up to people who have better results and what the best way to compare myself with me yesterday. Thank you for the podcast!

I find this very useful to overcome some of the challenges that I am having now. Listening to this is going to be my morning routine. Thank you for such a good sharing.

Mahalo for this, super relevant in the vocational rehabilitation realm as well. Thank you!

*Jerry Seinfeld's voice: "What's up with autoimmune diseases?" Joking aside, I'd love to see a podcast about autoimmune diseases. I have multiple sclerosis, my stepmother has lupus, and I have a few friends with eather lupus or ME also. So, are more poeple having autoimmune diseases nowadays, or is it because it's easier to diagnose? I know that science has advanced a lot in the last 20 years, but a lot is still being discovered, both in the area of ​​medication and also in diet and lifestyle, and I feel that even the most experienced doctors still don't know how to deal with that. I'm a HUGE fan of your podcast and I listen to all of them. So thanks for everything!

Omg, finally an explanation of why I don’t get nervous/stressed and people think I’m lyingggg when I say idk, I’m just not nervous

Thank you, Dr. Huberman ❤

Thank you so much Dr.Andrew Huberman. I'm a vocal coach for singing from srilanka. Your podcasts have immensely helped me in lifestyle changes which have given better results.

I was introduced to Huberman lab by a good friend. Love the science information that not discussed by my doctor. I want to suggest if you could talk about cardiovascular health and tools to help familial hypercholesterolemia and tools to reduce LDL. Thank you so much!

Wow was just listening to Carol dweck and your other growth mindset podcast yesterday

I appreciate your podcasts. They have been helpful and i love that they are accessible. The one on grief, and the ones w Rick Rubin especially

Jordan Pederson does something similar through his future authoring program. Young people are taught to run from stress and avoid facing their dragons, then they don't know how to deal with even small stresses. Now they need "trigger warnings" Adults need to stop wrapping young people in bubble wrap.

Crucial to keep in MIND that our MINDSET is the one thing of which we have total control...we have control over the thoughts with which we agree or disagree. As adults, it's important that we stand back from the MINDSET with which we've been nurtured, and really filter it through Knowledge of Self, which we all have. Only then can we say we're truly independent thinking adults.

I hope you read this Dr Huberman. You give an enormous amount of credit to Carol Dweck for being a leader in the "growth mindset" revolution. This discounts the existence and work of Tony Robbins who had been teaching and practicing what you claim she theorized. I bought Robbins' CDs in the 90s off an "info-mercial," read his books, and attended numerous events. I read Dweck's book after listening to this podcast and must say that you give her too much credit. She may have coined the phrase "growth mindset" and "fixed mindset" but the principles and growth mentality again, long preceded her "less-than-inspiring" book from my perspective. As someone who struggled with anxiety and depression my entire young-adult life, was in therapy with leading psychiatrists from Harvard and Columbia, the best education in terms of how the brain works and how to use it to "want" to push past limits came from Robbins. Did he get a degree pinned on his chest from Stanford, no but like the Wizard of OZ so aptly pointed out with the Scarecrow, that a "degree" does not guarantee intelligence. You're only intelligent if you USE the knowledge you have. Have Robbins on your show.

I appreciate your work, Dr Andrew. Thanks for changing so many lives

13 minutes in and this is already so good lol Great choice! Thanks so much to the both of you!!!

Weird youtube glitch, everytime I clicked your video from the main youtube page, it kept taking me to some google page about how ads work. I had to navigate to your actual page and then find this video to click and watch. Hopefully just a one off but commenting here just in case it's something affecting people trying to watch. Love your videos!

I think there is a lot of human information that needs to be redeveloped and taught to our children starting as early as possible. If we actually want to create positive change, not waiting until we are dissolving die to a lack of knowledge as adults.

Really inspiring, especially for me as an school teacher. But I can't understand, for the love of God, why Mr. Huberman hasn't had Karl Friston as a guest and talked about the predictive processing framework. That would be epic beyond comprehension.

your episodes have helped a lot, thank you for doing what you do sir

In my years as a boatyard manager and owner.. I called it a ‘criticism sandwich’. You are doing really great (example) but if WE can incorporate this improvement, we can elevate our offerings and your wages..

This is genious. So much answers in a short period of time, thank you!

Dr. Carol Dweck would be great host to talk about this topic as well.

Another point on the topic of individual ‘worth’ or ‘value’ brought up in the terms of self sacrifice as the more noble pursuit of being, hence a positive motivation technique to highlight: I challenge this concept not in terms of whether or not it’s good to strive to help others or the ethics of this kind of behavior, but rather in terms of individual worth in a group. I would point out that it is almost impossible to speak of one’s position within a group without using an economic metaphor and I would suggest this is, in part, the unexamined internalization of the Puritan Work Ethic (especially in the US) or the culturally appropriate variation of this group of ideas, within our languages. We are socialized to believe that our ‘worth’ is dependent upon the ‘what’ of our ‘contribution’ to the group and world at large. I would argue this is extremely limiting to certain groups and in general has the effect of denying any specific individuals’ or groups’ humanity across the board (think of the way colonizers described the validity of personhood to native cultures based on their “contribution towards progress and prosperity”). I heard the guest say that people would be “cast out” of their group if they didn’t put effort into the ‘work’ of whatever it was that was considered ‘valuable’ to the group. I would argue that this is what happens in much more modern societies where inherent value comes from constant contribution, private sacrifices to the point of self destruction without complaint (uncomplaining unpaid labor for example) or requiring recognition (hence proof of inner godliness or purity) and the right to value judge others based on these and multiple other virtues that are only proven through outward performances of “good works”. This leads me to look at ancient human social groups, mainly Gatherer-Hunters who seem to give individuals’ inherent (so hard not to use an economic metaphor here) validity as a group member simply because they exist. I’m not saying that if this person has anti-social tendencies that they wouldn’t be ostracized, but the understanding is that it’s the inherent uniqueness of any group member which was/is the basis for their dignity and desirability in the group. I would ask you to try and describe who you are without using any economic metaphors and see how difficult it becomes. Then consider how this is used to assign status and the effects of it on self esteem and self confidence. Just a thought. ❤😊

This is one of the best episodes I've seen!