Quotes About Potential

Howard Gardner, in his book Extraordinary Minds, concluded that exceptional individuals have "a special talent for identifying their own strengths and weaknesses.

But isn't potential someone's capacity to develop their skills with effort over time? And that's just the point. How can we know where effort and time will take someone? Who

Just because someone can do something with little or no training, it doesn't mean that others can't do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.

scientists are learning that people have more capacity for lifelong learning and brain development than they ever thought.

They know how to take tests and get A's but they don't know how to do this—yet. They forget the yet.

In one world, failure is about having a setback. Getting a bad grade. Losing a tournament. Getting fired. Getting rejected. It means you're not smart or talented. In the other world, failure is about not growing. Not reaching for the things you value. It means you're not fulfilling your potential.

a fixed ability that needs to be proven, and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning.

Create an organization that prizes the development of ability—and watch the leaders emerge.

fixed ability that needs to be proven, and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning. That

When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world. In one world—the world of fixed traits—success is about proving you're smart or talented. Validating yourself. In the other—the world of changing qualities—it's about stretching yourself to learn something new. Developing yourself. In

We as educators must take seriously our responsibility to create growth-mindset-friendly environments - where kids feel safe from judgement, where they understand that we believe in their potential to grow, and where they know that we are totally dedicated to collaborating with them on their learning. We are in the business of helping kids thrive, not finding reasons why they can't.

For twenty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.

In fact, every word and action can send a message. It tells children—or students, or athletes—how to think about themselves. It can be a fixed-mindset message that says: You have permanent traits and I'm judging them. Or it can be a growth-mindset message that says: You are a developing person and I am committed to your development.

chose executives on the basis of "runway," their capacity for growth.

What are the consequences of thinking that your intelligence or personality is something you can develop, as opposed to something that is a fixed, deep-seated trait? Let's first look in on the age-old, fiercely waged debate about human nature and then return to the question of what these beliefs mean for you.

For thirty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value. How does this happen? How can a simple belief have the power to transform your psychology and, as a result, your life?

Suddenly we realized that there were two meanings to ability, not one: a fixed ability that needs to be proven, and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning.

You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.

Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn't mean that others can't do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.

Do people with this mindset believe that anyone can be anything, that anyone with proper motivation or education can become Einstein or Beethoven? No, but they believe that a person's true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it's impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.

Yesterday they were hotshots; today they're failures. Here's what happens. They look at the faculty with our long list of publications. "Oh my God, I can't do that." They look at the advanced students who are submitting articles for publication and writing grant proposals. "Oh my God, I can't do that." They know how to take tests and get A's but they don't know how to do this—yet. They forget the yet.

But isn't potential someone's capacity to develop their skills with effort and coaching over time? And that's just the point. How can we know where effort, coaching, and time will take someone? Who knows—maybe the experts were right about Jackson, Marcel, Elvis, Ray, Lucille, and Charles—in terms of their skills at the time. Maybe they were not yet the people they were to become.

they believe that a person's true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it's impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.

Cuando crees que tus cualidades básicas pueden desarrollarse, puede que los fracasos también te duelan, pero no te identificarás con ellos. Los fracasos no te definirán. Y si las habilidades pueden desarrollarse –si son posibles el cambio y el crecimiento–, eso significa que todavía existen muchos caminos hacia el éxito.