This content was created by Lewis Howes. This content was uploaded by Lewis Howes. This is a YouTube video titled "Why Average Kids Become More Successful" featuring a conversation between Lewis Howes and another speaker. The discussion revolves around the experiences of athletes and students, highlighting how being praised for effort rather than innate talent can lead to greater success.
Chapters
When I was in eighth grade, I'm like, six four, they had me practicing with the varsity team in basketball, even though I was in the middle school. And I wasn't as good as the seniors, but I could keep up with some of them. And there was this guy who still to this day is the most freak athlete I've ever seen. It was unbelievable to just watch him effortlessly jump up under the rim, 360 dunk. Like, in practice, it was godlike, but for whatever reason, in the game, he played average every game I remember. I never really understood it because I was tall, but I didn't have the athleticism, like, the power. And I was like, man, give me an ounce, and I will dominate people.
That is consistent with some of the data that exists on kids who are straight A students, top of their class their whole life. They get told, you're so smart, you're the best. And then what ends up happening is they end up playing safe the rest of their life because they don't want to not be. That and his identity in practice, people telling him, you're the best, you're amazing. We've never seen anything like that before. Now you can't bring it when there's real odds and real stakes. And average kids are never told, you're so smart, you're so great. Average kids are told, great effort. And so there is no ceiling. You just keep going because you're getting rewarded for your effort, not your accomplishment.
