Really enjoyed this post. I have been talking about this sort of idea a great deal with my physio lately—people often put lots of unnecessary effort into actions that that they don’t need because somehow they have a belief that ‘effort is good’. He has had cases where he has e.g. shown more elderly patients easier ways to get up from a chair and they have refused because ‘it is too easy’. As children most of us were taught to put in ‘effort’ and ‘try harder’ whereas usually what you actually want is to find a better way of doing whatever you want to do, rather than to ‘look as though as you are trying really hard’.
I realised that I do find myself saying things to my children along the lines of ‘I know you find your art lessons really hard, but as long as you are trying your best that is ok’. Their school reports include an effort grade for every subject and it’s hard when I read their reports to them, not to say nice things about good grades for effort!
I am trying to figure out how this reconciles with growth mindset vs fixed mindset ideas. I guess perseverance and effort are subtly different things, and that one can grow instead by considering different options and doing the type of brain-storming you are talking about. As a parent, I’m still trying to figure this all out. I guess the first step is just to be aware of when I am suggesting ‘trying’ and ‘effort’ - both to them and to myself!
Really enjoyed this post. I have been talking about this sort of idea a great deal with my physio lately—people often put lots of unnecessary effort into actions that that they don’t need because somehow they have a belief that ‘effort is good’. He has had cases where he has e.g. shown more elderly patients easier ways to get up from a chair and they have refused because ‘it is too easy’. As children most of us were taught to put in ‘effort’ and ‘try harder’ whereas usually what you actually want is to find a better way of doing whatever you want to do, rather than to ‘look as though as you are trying really hard’.
I realised that I do find myself saying things to my children along the lines of ‘I know you find your art lessons really hard, but as long as you are trying your best that is ok’. Their school reports include an effort grade for every subject and it’s hard when I read their reports to them, not to say nice things about good grades for effort!
I am trying to figure out how this reconciles with growth mindset vs fixed mindset ideas. I guess perseverance and effort are subtly different things, and that one can grow instead by considering different options and doing the type of brain-storming you are talking about. As a parent, I’m still trying to figure this all out. I guess the first step is just to be aware of when I am suggesting ‘trying’ and ‘effort’ - both to them and to myself!
There’s a different post that I think is more closely related to your comment than mine is: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bx3gkHJehRCYZAF3r/pain-is-not-the-unit-of-effort :-)