Amanda Penn, Author at Shortform Books

Why the Value of Hard Work is More Critical than Ever

To instill in children the value of hard work, we teach them such stories as “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Little Engine That Could.” The lesson is to keep trying and you’ll succeed: Slow and steady wins the race. But those with fixed mindsets take away a different lesson: Hard work is for those who lack talent. They’d rather be the faster, more talented hare than the tortoise, who only succeeded because the hare messed up. A smarter hare would beat a no-talent tortoise. We’ll cover why fewer and fewer people believe in the value of hard work,

“False” Growth Mindset—Dweck Shares 4 Common Misconceptions

What is a “false” growth mindset? Is it possible that you think you have a growth mindset when in reality, you’ve actually embraced a mindset that’s causing you (and your children or students) harm? We’ll cover the common misconceptions that result in a “false” growth mindset and look at how to create an authentic growth mindset.

3 Famous Cases of Miscarriage of Justice—Is There a Solution?

What are the different varieties of miscarriages of justice? How do they arise? Is there anything we as a society, and you as an individual, can do to prevent miscarriages of justice? We’ll cover three very different cases of miscarriage of justice–those of Patrick Dale Walker, Amanda Knox, and the Penn State leadership team. Through these cases, we’ll see the variety of ways in which a judge or jury can misread a situation, and we’ll explore possible ways to solve the problem.

Myth of Effortless Perfection—A Fixed Mindset Holds You Back

Many children, especially young girls, are taught that their value lies in their perfection, and that this perfection shouldn’t take any effort. But effortless perfection is a myth, and believing in the need to demonstrate effortless perfection is a dangerous mindset. We’ll cover Carol Dweck’s growth and fixed mindsets and why effortless perfection is a myth.

10 Growth Mindset Strategies—For School, Sports, Work, Life

What’s a growth mindset? What are the best growth mindset strategies? How can they benefit you in school, sports, parenting, and life in general? We’ll cover six scenarios in which your mindset comes into play and look at how the reactions of people with fixed and growth mindsets differ. Then we’ll look at the best growth mindset strategies to help you learn to get the best out of every situation.

Low-Effort Syndrome—Do You Have It? A Growth Mindset Can Help

What is low-effort syndrome? Do you have it? How do you combat it? Low-effort syndrome is the tendency to put in minimal or no effort at school, in sports, or in life. This may be due to a belief that you’re being discriminated against and can’t win in a rigged system, or it may be due to a fixed mindset and the belief that you if perfection isn’t guaranteed, you shouldn’t try at all. We’ll cover what low-effort syndrome is and how to work against it and develop a growth mindset.

How Your Mind Works + How to Make It Work Better—Carol Dweck

How does your mind work? How do your mindsets affect your conscious and unconscious actions? Why is it important to understand how your mind works? We’ll cover how your mind works and how your particular mindset–a growth mindset or a fixed mindset–changes how your mind works. Learn why your mindset matters.

Alcohol and Consent: What Are the Rules?

Is consent while drunk valid? What are the rules around alcohol and consent? Although recent events have brought questions about alcohol and consent to the forefront, it’s been a thorny issue for decades, particularly on college campuses. Can you give consent while you’re drunk? Should you trust the consent of someone else who’s drunk? Here are some things to keep in mind about alcohol and consent.

Positive Labels: Why They’re Actually Hurting Your Kids

While labeling people negatively according to their perceived potential is often inaccurate and can hinder their development, positive labels and praise can also be detrimental. Are the positive labels you’re giving your kids hurting them? We’ll cover the effects of positive labeling and discuss why your efforts to build children’s self-esteem actually hurt them.

Redefining Success: CEOs + NASA Know It’s Not What You Think

How do you define success? Could redefining success help you become more successful? In general, in the fixed mindset world, success is about proving to yourself and others that you’re smart and talented. It’s about validation. If you fail, it means you’re not smart or talented, therefore failure is intolerable. Failure is any type of setback: a bad grade, losing a competition, not getting the job or promotion you want, being rejected. Effort is a negative — if you need it, that means you’re not smart. It’s this definition of success that you need to combat. We’ll cover why commonly-held