--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided to praise my son not when he…" description: "\"I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stress..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/salman-khan-12862_body_i-decided-to-praise-my-son-not-when-he-s_1338747.jpg" --- # I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things… ![“I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stressed to him that by struggling, your brain grows. Between the deep body of research on the field of learning mindsets and this personal experience…” quote by Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/salman-khan-12862_body_i-decided-to-praise-my-son-not-when-he-s_1338747.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/salman-khan-12862_body_i-decided-to-praise-my-son-not-when-he-s_1338747.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/salman-khan-12862_body_i-decided-to-praise-my-son-not-when-he-s_1338747.jpg) > “I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stressed to him that by struggling, your brain grows. Between the deep body of research on the field of learning mindsets and this personal experience with my son, I am more convinced than ever that mindsets toward learning could matter more than anything else we teach.” [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encouraging effort over innate talent fosters growth mindsets, leading to deeper learning and resilience. **In simple terms:** Praise effort, not just talent. Key Takeaway Focus on perseverance. Themes education mindset growth Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - parenting - teaching - self‑improvement - coaching Key Concepts Neuroscience psychology learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance effort praise with realistic support? - What obstacles might hinder growth? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on effort may ignore structural barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Convinced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convinced/) [Convinced Mindsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convinced-mindsets-3207396/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fields/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Learning Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-matter-663625/) [Learning Mindsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-mindsets-4516507/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Mindset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindset/) [Mindsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindsets/) [Mindsets Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindsets-learning-3207395/) [My son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-son/) [Personal experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experience/) [Personal experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experiences/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Stressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stressed/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) ## Related quotes > [I am more convinced than ever that mindsets toward learning could matter more than anything else we teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/i-am-more-convinced-than-ever-that-mindsets-toward-learning-could/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [I had discovered that learning something, no matter how complex, wasn't hard when I had a reason to want to know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/i-had-discovered-that-learning-something-no-matter-how-complex-wasn-t/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [Learning is a matter of intensity not elapsed time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/learning-is-a-matter-of-intensity-not-elapsed-time/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I've always been about learning. No matter how long I've been in the business or where I've been in a company, I've always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-roode/i-ve-always-been-about-learning-no-matter-how-long-i-ve-been-in-the/) [Bobby Roode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-roode/) > [What I'm learning about myself is, no matter what the challenge is, I can overcome it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-ingram/what-i-m-learning-about-myself-is-no-matter-what-the-challenge-is-i/) [Brandon Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-ingram/) > [It takes different mindsets to do different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/it-takes-different-mindsets-to-do-different-things/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [“Don’t fight with narrow minded people; be determined to compel them to change their mindsets about who you stand to be, not by arguments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-fight-with-narrow-minded-people-be-determined-to-compel-them-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“We live solely in our minds. If things are ugly there, things are ugly every where.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-fitchett/we-live-solely-in-our-minds-if-things-are-ugly-there-things-are-ugly/) [Garry Fitchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-fitchett/) > [“With the right Mindset...effective thinking is automatic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/with-the-right-mindset-effective-thinking-is-automatic/) Tony Dovale - ReThink Your Success Mindset tonydovalespeaks.com > [“Policy-makers continue to discover that they cannot solve today’s problems with yesterday’s mindsets”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/policy-makers-continue-to-discover-that-they-cannot-solve-today-s/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [“Performance depends upon our actions an behaviors, which are activated by emotions, which are created when our MINDSET meets reality... Mindsets Matter Most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/performance-depends-upon-our-actions-an-behaviors-which-are-activated/) Tony Dovale - ReThink Your Success Mindset tonydovalespeaks.com > [I teach a freshman seminar every year, and we delve very, very deeply into their mindsets. They read scientific articles, but we also focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/i-teach-a-freshman-seminar-every-year-and-we-delve-very-very-deeply/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) > [That's a big part of who I am - developing mentality, mindsets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/that-s-a-big-part-of-who-i-am-developing-mentality-mindsets/) [Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/) > [Our minds are in a state of constant questions and answers and the answers we feed them with forms our mindsets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/our-minds-are-in-a-state-of-constant-questions-and-answers-and-the/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“Rethink Your Success Mindset: With the right mindset, everything that you experience, along your journey towards success, is a blessing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rethink-your-success-mindset-with-the-right-mindset-everything-that/) Tony Dovale - ReThink Your Success Mindset tonydovalespeaks.com ## More by Salman Khan > [“I teach the way that I wish I was taught. The lectures are coming from me, an actual human being who is fascinated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/i-teach-the-way-that-i-wish-i-was-taught-the-lectures-are-coming-from/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [People in the film industry always want to save for a rainy day. Many early actors died in small houses with no money, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/people-in-the-film-industry-always-want-to-save-for-a-rainy-day-many/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [ “In a traditional classroom, the spread between the fastest and slowest students grows over time, \[and so\] putting them all in one class cohort… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/in-a-traditional-classroom-the-spread-between-the-fastest-and-slowest/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [A lion runs the fastest when he is hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/a-lion-runs-the-fastest-when-he-is-hungry/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [The best time to release a film is on a festive date like Divali or Eid, or at a time when there are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/the-best-time-to-release-a-film-is-on-a-festive-date-like-divali-or/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [Any film is about heroism: the triumph of good over evil. If you look back at my films, you will see that as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/any-film-is-about-heroism-the-triumph-of-good-over-evil-if-you-look/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [Have you seen a duck gliding smoothly on water? Does it ever look like it is paddling furiously underneath the surface? I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/have-you-seen-a-duck-gliding-smoothly-on-water-does-it-ever-look-like/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [Now at 47, 48 I am expected to do ten times better work that I did when I was 24.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/now-at-47-48-i-am-expected-to-do-ten-times-better-work-that-i-did/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [All fashion brands are about looking good. Being Human is also about doing good. And you can do good by the simple act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/all-fashion-brands-are-about-looking-good-being-human-is-also-about/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [If the film is a hit then everyone shares the success. If it is going to be a disaster then it might as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/if-the-film-is-a-hit-then-everyone-shares-the-success-if-it-is-going/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [I am not born to just become an actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/i-am-not-born-to-just-become-an-actor/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [If it is something that I want to do, then I don't think the audience will hate it. Unless I turn into a megalomaniac…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/if-it-is-something-that-i-want-to-do-then-i-don-t-think-the-audience/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [Being Human clothing was first launched in France, Belgium and Spain, where the brand's philosophy of look good, do good is connecting with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/being-human-clothing-was-first-launched-in-france-belgium-and-spain/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [The older you get, the better you have to look, the higher you have to kick, the harder you have to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/the-older-you-get-the-better-you-have-to-look-the-higher-you-have-to/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) > [Shah Rukh is not my girlfriend that I should remember him. When I don't remember my past girlfriends, what will I remember Shah Rukh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khan/shah-rukh-is-not-my-girlfriend-that-i-should-remember-him-when-i-don/) [Salman Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) [Explore all 53 Salman Khan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khan/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stressed to him that by struggling, your brain grows. 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