Horsetooth Hybrid Grappling Club

Much of what we think we understand of our personality comes from our “mindset.” This both propels us and prevents us from fulfilling our potential.

If you believe that your qualities are unchangeable — the ‘fixed mindset’ — you will want to prove yourself correct over and over rather than learning from your mistakes.

Contrast that with the ‘growth mindset’, whereby you focus on the effort process and constantly work to reinforce the belief that you can get better by taking on challenges beyond your current capacity.

As it turns out, studies show that language matters in developing and reinforcing mindset. The implications for a wrestling coach can be profound.

For instance, research demonstrates that when an action is rewarded or recognized with verbs—’you *worked* so hard’; ‘you *persevered*’; you *improved* since we last practiced this’ –short- and long-term performance is improved. Hence, to cultivate a growth mindset, we should be celebrating the specific actions by our athletes that led to positive performance.

By contrast, performance label feedback such as ‘you’re so *smart*’, ‘you’re so *talented*’, and (believe it or not) even ‘you’re a *hard worker*’ should be avoided—the nouns and adjectives highlighted in each bit of encouragement will lead to decreased performance in the long run.

Why so? Identity labels—like being told that you’re talented, smart, athletic, strong—are powerfully challenged when you don’t perform well. However, verb-based labels are better at re-initiating the effective active sequence that gets us out of ruts, and will ultimately lead to improvement and success.

So next time you’re providing positive feedback to a wrestler, focus on praising the specific verb actions that lead to the results you’re seeking as a coach and that are linked to the athlete’s short- and long-term goals! Also, learn to talk positively with yourself in this manner, and you’ll see improvement in your ventures, too…

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