From “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck, PhD
We gave fifth graders intriguing puzzles, which they all loved. But when we made them harder, children with the fixed mindset showed a big plunge in enjoyment. They also changed their minds about taking some home to practice. “It’s okay, you can keep them. I already have them,” fibbed one child. In fact, they couldn’t run from them fast enough.
This was just as true for children who were the best puzzle solvers. Having “puzzle talent” did not prevent the decline.
Children with the growth mindset, on the other hand, couldn’t tear themselves away from the hard problems. These were their favorite and these were the ones they wanted to take home. “Could you write down the name of these puzzles,” one child asked, “so my mom can buy me some more when these ones run out?”