---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Praising children’s intelligence harms…"
description: "\"Praising children’s intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance.\" — Carol S. Dweck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/carol-s-dweck-3250_child_praising-children-s-intelligence-harms-t_1725210.png"
---

#  Praising children’s intelligence harms their motivation…

![“Praising children’s intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance.” quote by Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/carol-s-dweck-3250_child_praising-children-s-intelligence-harms-t_1725210.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/carol-s-dweck-3250_child_praising-children-s-intelligence-harms-t_1725210.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49d/carol-s-dweck-3250_child_praising-children-s-intelligence-harms-t_1725210.png)

> “Praising children’s intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance.”

[Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Praising intelligence alone can create a fixed mindset, reducing effort and performance; focus on effort and strategies instead.

**In simple terms:** Praising smarts can hurt motivation.

Key Takeaway

Emphasize effort over talent.

Themes

education psychology motivation

Mood

educational supportive

Type

inspirational practical

When to use this quote

- classroom feedback
- parental encouragement
- coaching

Key Concepts

Fixed mindset growth mindset self‑efficacy

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you praise effort?
- What language fosters a growth mindset?

A Different Perspective

May demotivate if not paired with effort praise.

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[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Raising children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-children/)

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