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| Michael Phelps, Sports Illustrated cover shoot |
For instance, Michael Phelps, the truly amazing Olympic swimming champion, clearly has a much longer wingspan than many people. Say researchers prove that he also has a body chemistry that produces less lactic acid than most people (hence less pain from physical exertion).
If you loved swimming but after practicing with Phelps for a long time and consistently finishing 2 seconds him in every race, are you a fixed mindset person if you decide Olympic swimming is not your calling, and you should become a dentist instead?
Does this common sense reasoning invalidate Dweck's claims?
I disagree with Dweck's claims about the growth mindset and success in sports. I agree that this common sense reasoning invalidates her claims. While it is certain that Michael Phelps wouldn't be such a success with out intense hours of practice and training, he definitely has a body built for swimming. The same could be said about Simone Biles, whose small body allows her to be great at gymnastics and flexibility. If you think about NBA players, most of them are really tall. While Dweck might think that all you need is lots of practice to get into the NBA, the reality is that altough you might practice a lot, if you're really short, your odds of getting into the NBA are very slim. Pure effort may not be enough to be the greatest success in sports. Dweck's theory is very vulnerable when you really take a look at today's champion athletes. While they all put in effort, some are just more built for their sport.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! Sometimes effort is not the solve-all-end-all solution. If you were to give someone that barely reaches five feet and weighs only 100 pounds, and told them to play the tuba for band, you would not get the best results. Sure, the person could work very hard, and become quite competent in it, but they would always struggle with those that are more naturally inclined to play such a large instrument. Or if someone with a naturally high voice wanted to sing in the lower octaves in a choir. One would not put a natural soprano into a tenor role, no matter the effort that person puts in.
DeleteI couldn't agree with you more, Brayden! Although hard work definitely pays off, some people are just built for what they love to do. Kassie, I also like that you used the example of someone with a high voice wanting to sing in a lower octave. I think that example stresses even more the fact that no matter how hard you work at something, you have to have natural assets too. Like you said, working hard does not necessarily mean that you can do everything you set your mind to.
Delete-Kaylee George
I also agree with you Brayden! You can practice your hardest and work yourself to death, but sometimes your physical attributes are going to hold you back! A great example of this is my mom. She worked extremely hard all through high school on her basketball skills and became the best defensive player on her team and college scouts were looking out for her! A college team in Missouri was in contact with her and were considering offering her a scholarship, until they found out her height. My mom is 5'4 and they were afraid she wouldn't be able to compete with the taller girls, so they let her go.
DeleteKassie, your example of a five foot, 100 pound girl tuba player made me smile and reconsider my view. I am not too far off of those measurements, and I switched from trombone to tuba about two years ago. Although my legs were bruised and my lungs were sore initially, I had beaten my giant tuba counterpart for first chair, and made an honor band within my first two months. With activities like band, baseball, and basketball, I think that "wrong" body types are not necessarily easy to overcome, but definitely possible because of the many variables.
DeleteThough as a runner and former swimmer, I think in sports that come down to the nitty gritty of "is it even physically possible to break this record?" have the physically lucky athletes finish first. I imagine two athletes matched in ideal fitness, performance, and ambition battling it out. In a perfect scenario, the competitor with any physical advantage would win. BUT, knowing that those scenarios are rare is less confining, and leaves hope for underdogs like me.
-Katie Cowger
I agree, I think we still see "physically lucky" athletes finish first, but that doesn't have to limit us. You can be just as good as most people because of hard work and dedication.
DeleteYes! I also agree with your comment below- I would feel pretty accomplished finishing a few seconds behind Phelps. It would be an especially proud moment if my body type was not one to be expected of an Olympic swimmer, and I had worked past that barrier. It is all about perspective, after all.
DeleteWhile Brayden and Kassie both make excellent points, I am going to have to disagree. While yes, certain body types are better suited for certain pursuits, hard work plays a major factor in everybody. There is an athlete that has come into stardom in the 2010's. He is 6'3", has a 6'0" wingspan, and weighs in at 190 pounds. During the early stages of his career, he was deemed too small by scouts. Nobody thought he would amount to much. He was a spot up shooter, that was all. He would never be a major threat. However, in the past three years, Stephen Curry has become one of the most dangerous players in the NBA. He is a two time MVP, holds the record for most three point shots made in a game, and obliterated the previous record for most three pointers made in a season, which he previously set. This young man is revolutionizing the game of basketball. After being told he was too small and would never be a serious threat, Steph hit the gym, and he never stopped working. MY point is, anybody can be good at anything, as long as they work hard. While having a certain body type can certainly help, you do not have to fit the stereotypical look for a sport to be good at it.
ReplyDelete-Tyler Macon
Since writing my previous comment, I felt the need to add a personal story to really explain my point. I went to school with a young man that is 5'7" tall, 180 pounds, and a 5'5" wingspan. He has a body built for weightlifting. However, he is a basketball player. This young man was the starting point guard on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore, and he helped lead the team. Not only was he a phenomenal basketball player, he could jump out of the gym. He was popping rim as freshman. He also joined the cross country team, becoming a state qualifier in long jump with an 18'+ jump. With a short and stocky body, he is not built for long jumping. However, he was determined. His hard work and dedication proved that body type does not determine performance.
DeleteI agree with Tyler. Look at Brandon Burlesworth. When he first started playing football he was told he would never make the high school team. He worked hard every single day until by his senior year he started at gaurd. His dream was to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He got a chance to talk to a recruiter and the recruiter had told him he was 2 inches too short and he was 50 pounds too light. Immediately after being told that he began eating everything in sight until college started. His mother had scraped up enough money to pay for him to go to school for one year after that he would have to get scholarship money to continue going to college. He walked on to the football field weighing 80 pounds more than when the recruiter had seen him months before. He was now obese and out of shape. He worked every day waking up at 4 in the morning to get in shape until finally he was deemed good enough to get a scholarship. His next goal was to play in the NFL. Which he was told due to his size their was no possible way he could make it but that did not discourage him. He improved the other things he needed to be good such as his footwork and his strength. He ended up being the 63rd pick of the NFL draft. He then died in a car wreck 2 weeks before he signed his contracts. To me he is the perfect example of a growth mindset. One who overcame being too small for college ball.
DeleteI complete agree with Tyler's view on this. While all body types are different, some are more sought after for certain sports. For instance scouts for lady gymnast will be looking for short stout women as they can maneuver with more easy through their stunts, and certain sports all have preferred criteria for their respective athletes. But much like Tyler mentions, it's not all body type, it's dedication, determination, and blood and sweat that truly makes a good athlete.
DeleteI agree that some people are better suited for certain sports than others are. Playing basketball in high school, I learned that I was never going to be one of the greatest in the state, but I also never had the passion like some people had for it. Now, running in college, it is easy to see that some people are way more talented than I am. I may never run a 16 minute 5K like some girls will, but I do believe that hard work pays off. Practicing hard and putting in the effort can close a big gap between people with "more talent" and "less talent". I do believe that the people who dedicate 100% to their sport are the people who are successful on a professional level. I think if you dedicate yourself to something that you can do a lot more than you think you are capable of.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I know a guy who dreamed of playing OU football and playing in the NFL since he could walk. He was a great high school player and is super athletic. He didn't get a scholarship to OU, but he walked on. So, you would think that a college walk-on would have no chance to make it to the NFL. In college, he didn't get to play much in his favorite position as a wide receiver, but he became the backup long snapper, and then the starting long snapper. His senior year of college, he went to several combines, but no teams picked him up. At about 6’3, 200lbs, they all told him he was too small because in the NFL, long snappers also snap for field goals and he would get crushed. For two years he worked out, worked a regular job, and still dreamed of being in the NFL. He gained 40 pounds of all muscle and stayed in shape, and decided to go to one more special teams camp. He was then signed to compete for the spot for the Kansas City Chiefs. He won the position, has played two seasons and just signed a five-year contract. He has that job because he is one of the hardest working people I have ever met.
I also wanted to say that finishing two seconds after Phelps would be a pretty great accomplishment, and the person in this example would probably have a few Olympic medals!
ReplyDeleteI think that Dweck would only call someone that constantly finished second to Phelps and quit fixed minded if the reason they quit was fixed. If whoever was racing Phelps decided to quit because they were frustrated and gave up because they knew they would never win that would be fixed minded. On the other hand if someone decided to stop trying to beat Phelps because they wanted to pursue something else and was satisfied that they finished second then that wouldn’t be fixed minded in Dweck’s views. Dweck’s theory shows flaws but still can be applied in non-extreme examples.
ReplyDeleteIf you loved swimming, competed against Phelps numerously, lost continuously, and gave up swimming for dentistry, I would consider you a fixed minded person. I am not the best player on the soccer field, odds are I never will be, but I still continue to play. Having a growth mindset doesn’t guarantee success in a worldly sense, only a personal one. While these two overlap most times, this is not always the case. Otherwise, only the best of the best could have growth mindsets. I am also a firm believer that some people are better suited to certain pursuits than others. It doesn’t mean success will be rewarded to the best suited, but that the best suited will have easier success. Dweck often highlights the irony in how the best suited often don’t even have a growth mindset, the less suited do because of the work ethic needed to make up for it.
ReplyDeleteTessa Neeley
Thank you for your insight... I had not thought about some of those things! You had a great point on success; a growth mindset success does not always align with the world's definition and if it did, the mindset would only exist in the "elite".
Delete-Brittany West
When reading others responses it seems as if there are only two answers: It is possible to work hard to get where you want, or no matter how hard you work you wont succeed. What about an answer that falls between the two? To begin we must agree that some people are born physically built to succeed at a certain sport, but others have the opportunity to get in shape and gain muscle so they may succeed as well. A key role in a person’s accomplishments is their mindset. You can be a fast runner naturally, but if you do not work at it and continue to train, those who are practicing will pass you. We see things like this happen constantly in basketball games, for example. A team may be substantially better than the other, but once they start thinking they don’t have to try, or play perfectly, because “they will win no matter what” the other team has the opportunity to work hard and win the game. When we stop focusing and trying to use the best of our abilities we begin to lose. On the other hand some people will never be able to go as far as they want due to medical issues. Some have heart conditions that stop them from being able to do strenuous workouts to reach the goal they want. Some do not have to work hard, some work very hard and get their dreams, and some will never get where they want no matter what.
ReplyDeleteThis common-sense reasoning MAY not invalidate Dweck’s reasoning in some instances, in my opinion. For example, no one used to be able to run a four-minute mile. This athletic feat was deemed impossible for years. That is, until someone accomplished it. Once one person did it, many others followed because they all had the mindset of “if he can do it so can I.” If a person who trains with Michael Phelps and does not have his wingspan or lack of lactic acid production, but wants to beat Phelps has the mindset of “if he can do it I can do it” there is no reason he cannot beat Michael Phelps. It is simply a matter of the amount of time and effort put into practice. If this individual is willing to do more than Michael Phelps is, to compensate for the advantages Phelps has over him, to learn from his failures and change his approach to training, then he can reach his goal. After all, if nothing changes then nothing changes. However, in other instances, like NBA basketball, her reasoning may be proved invalid. If a person works really hard and learn from their mistakes but is only 5’ 4” they realistically have almost no actual chance of being an NBA basketball player. -Rachel Worth
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