[bradlys]

Growth mindset might lead people to realizing they can’t accomplish something later due to some innate thing but that happens all the time. Even if you were stupidly talented at chess, only one person can be the best chess player in the world. So, if another person is even more talented than you (all other things equal) then you’re fucked anyway. And that’s life - it happens. Why tell kids that they can’t be the greatest? They don’t know until they really try. So what if they waste time on it, as long as they are enjoying the journey then that’s all that matters. Life isn’t a destination.

I find the accomplishments people (even young children) want to set out for are mostly reasonable. If you’re wanting to be a Nobel prize winner, mega rich CEO, or be some well regarded author - it’s gonna require a lot of luck. And that should be informed to people that are all about the destination and not the pursuit. There’s no reason to not pursue those things if you want to.

Honestly, I think a growth mindset is amazing for young children. If it wasn’t for people in my childhood having that - even for the shithole I grew up in - I probably wouldn’t have accomplished anywhere near what I have. I had nothing but doubts about myself because I saw no one ever escape the trappings of my surroundings. Yet... I’d get told by some pretty good teachers, “you’re capable of doing anything if you just set your mind to it.” (The kind of growth mindset I was taught)

I see other people severely limiting themselves because they just project whatever societal norms are around into themselves. They assume because they see no one else doing it in their immediate surroundings that it can’t be done. And it’s a shit way to go, dude. People won’t grow with that mindset. It traps them in poverty.

Growth mindset might lead to a few childhood dreams being crushed but who gives a shit. It’s a childhood dream - some kids want to be Goku and there’s no reason to crush that shit so early.