Scientists pinpoint key attribute of people who have more willpower — how to get it yourself
Forget the fountain of youth — researchers in Norway believe they have found the recipe for success.
Two professors from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) set out to determine which personality traits are needed to become good at something.
Their study found that those with more willpower tend to also have an important attribute — and it’s a matter of positive thinking.
They had more than 1,500 participants complete a questionnaire measuring their passion, grit and mindset. The survey takers ranged in age from 13 to 77, with the average age being 26.
The researchers were most interested in the participants with the highest and lowest mindset scores. Those with a positive attitude have what the researchers call a “growth mindset,” meaning they believe intelligence and skills can be developed through hard work, dedication and effort — and see obstacles as opportunities to grow and improve.
A “fixed mindset,” on the other hand, means that you believe intelligence, talents and personality are innate and cannot change — regardless of effort. You tend to avoid challenges, give up when something is hard and take constructive criticism as a personal attack.
“We find large differences in passion and determination when we compare the 5% who have the most positive attitude with the 5% who are the most negative,” said Hermundur Sigmundsson, a professor in the Department of Psychology at NTNU.
People who believe they will succeed are far more passionate and have greater willpower than those who do not have that attitude, Sigmundsson added.
It’s important to learn what’s driving these positive or negative attitudes. This information can be used to figure out how to increase motivation, pursue long-term goals and maintain effort.
Sigmundsson calls this “getting the I CAN feeling.”
“It can be argued that growth mindset should be all-encompassing in our society,” Sigmundsson co-wrote in the new research, recently published in the journal Acta Psychologica. “Both in schools, sports, working life and within the walls of the family.”
How to develop a growth mindset
Purdue University has identified 10 ways to ditch a fixed mindset for a growth mindset.
- Become self-aware — note what happens when you make a mistake or face an obstacle.
- Learn from others with a growth mindset — get their tips and feedback.
- Write down your goals, so you have a better chance of achieving them.
- Prioritize these goals over focusing on your traits and skills, which is behavior characteristic of a fixed mindset.
- Accept new challenges — and remind yourself that they are opportunities to grow and learn.
- Change your outlook on failure, which is a chance to learn or discover something new.
- Be patient — progress isn’t linear. Regressing before progressing is part of the process.
- Celebrate the success of others — and ask them how they did it.
- Collect feedback from others — and use it to improve.
- Tell yourself that you may not be good at something yet — you just need more time and practice.
