In some cultures, children are often told they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message?

Across some societies, children are often taught that they can accomplish anything with enough effort.

This

has its own positive and negative outcomes. One of the first arguments in its favour is that

this

can boost their confidence, which can be a good source of inspiration for them to pursue their goals and may make them more ambitious with greater determination.

For example

, a child who receives that message and is interested in becoming a professional athlete may

work

hard and develop their skills and become a part of a sports team, as they consider being industrious is a key factor for

success

.

In addition

,

this

can lead to creating a growth mindset, because they believe that their abilities can be developed through hard

work

,

as a result

, they can easily overcome obstacles and may not become discouraged.

For instance

, if they attain a poor score on a test, they may more likely to study harder and try different strategies. There are,

however

, some issues with

this

idea that

success

comes from effort and hard

work

.

First,

this

may lead to unrealistic expectations, as they may ignore some external factors,

such

as luck and opportunity, which can be instrumental in being successful.

Hence

, they may easily exhausted, and their motivations may be decreased if they cannot reach their goals. As an illustration, J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series, had failed many times before publishing their books, but she never gave up. Because she believed that her

success

depends on many factors,

such

as having a sponsor to provide funds.

Second,

this

idea may lead to fear of failure. If parents tell their children repeatedly that they can accomplish anything if they

work

, they may become anxious about failing.

As a consequence

,

this

may avoid taking risks and trying new things. In conclusion, telling children that anything is reachable if they put forth effort may increase their confidence and give them a growth mindset.

Nonetheless

,

this

may lead to unattainable expectations and avoid them to accept the fact that

success

may face failures.