TL;DR
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A Bolde report argues that praising specific effort and strategies, rather than treating success as proof of innate ability, can encourage people to take on challenges and learn from setbacks. It cites psychologist Carol Dweck’s study of fifth graders, but the material does not provide the study’s full publication details or establish that effort praise guarantees better outcomes.
A report from Bolde argues that praising people for specific effort and strategies, rather than only for results or supposed innate ability, may help them handle challenges and setbacks. The report cites psychologist Carol Dweck’s research with fifth graders, while stressing that effort-focused feedback should not be used to dismiss outcomes or consequences.
The report describes a study in which fifth graders completed problems and were then praised either for being smart or for working hard. According to the account, nearly 70% of the children praised for intelligence chose easier problems when given a choice, compared with fewer than 10% of those praised for effort. In a later, more difficult round, the effort-praised group improved its scores while the intelligence-praised group’s scores declined.
Those figures are reported by Bolde; the supplied material does not give the study’s publication, sample size, or full methodology. The result is presented as evidence that the kind of praise children receive can shape their response to difficulty, not as proof that praise alone determines later achievement.
The report recommends feedback that names observable actions—such as changing an approach, practicing, seeking help, or applying feedback—rather than broad labels like “natural” or “smart.” It says specific comments can help people identify what to repeat or revise. Its example of a workplace pitch distinguishes empty encouragement from feedback about how a presenter adapted and what information was missing.
How Feedback Shapes Responses to Setbacks
The distinction matters because a result does not always tell someone what to do next. If praise focuses only on a win, a poor outcome can feel like evidence that the person lacks ability. By contrast, feedback about preparation, decisions, and strategy can make it easier to review what happened and identify a change for next time.
For parents, teachers, and managers, the report’s practical point is to make praise specific and truthful. “You kept testing different methods” gives more usable information than a general compliment. That does not mean every effort was effective: feedback still needs to say when an approach failed, when more practice is needed, or when a result falls short of a standard.
The report also cautions against assuming that positive language is automatically helpful. It quotes clinical psychologist Daniela Owen warning that praise that is disingenuous, generic, or excessive can harm motivation and confidence. The value of praise, in this account, depends on whether it accurately identifies something the person did and can learn from.
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The Study Behind the Praise Advice
The account builds on research associated with Carol Dweck on how feedback about ability and effort can affect children’s choices after success. In the experiment as summarized by Bolde, children who heard an ability-focused compliment were more likely to choose an easier task, while children praised for effort more often accepted a harder one. The report further says the two groups’ scores moved in different directions after the challenge.
Bolde connects that finding to later situations in school and work, arguing that people praised mainly for outcomes may feel pressure to protect a reputation for being capable. This is the report’s interpretation of how the research may apply beyond the experiment; the supplied source does not establish that every person who receives ability-based praise will avoid difficult tasks.
The advice is not to ignore results. The source explicitly says that outcomes and consequences still matter. Its distinction is between evaluating a result and treating that result as a complete judgment of a person’s ability or worth.
““Disingenuous, generic, and excessive praise can negatively impact kids’ motivation and confidence.””
— Daniela Owen, clinical psychologist, as quoted by Bolde
Limits of the Evidence Presented
The supplied report does not identify the full citation for Dweck’s experiment, including its publication date, sample size, or methods. Its percentages and score comparisons therefore cannot be independently evaluated from the material provided here. The report also does not establish how large or lasting the effects are, or whether the same pattern applies across ages, cultures, and settings.
It remains unclear how much of the reported difference came from the wording of the praise itself or from other aspects of the experiment. The account supports a possible link between praise style and children’s task choices in that study; it does not show that effort praise guarantees improved performance. The workplace and adult-life examples are applications offered by the report, not results from the fifth-grade experiment.
Applying Praise Without Ignoring Results
The report offers no announced follow-up study or policy change. Its practical recommendation is to give feedback that names a real, controllable action and connects it to what happened: for example, how someone prepared, adjusted a plan, used feedback, or could improve their next attempt.
For educators and managers using this approach, the next step is to pair that recognition with an honest account of the outcome. Further research with full methods and citations would help clarify how reliably these effects carry across settings and over time. Until then, the source’s case is for more useful feedback, not for praising effort regardless of its quality or treating results as irrelevant.
Key Questions
What does effort-focused praise mean?
It means naming a specific action someone took, such as practicing, changing a strategy, asking for help, or using feedback, rather than relying only on a result or a label like “smart.”
What did the fifth-grade study report find?
As summarized by Bolde, nearly 70% of children praised for intelligence chose easier problems, compared with fewer than 10% of those praised for effort. The report says the effort-praised group improved after a harder round, while the intelligence-praised group’s scores declined.
Does praising effort mean results do not matter?
No. The source says outcomes and consequences still matter. Its recommendation is to discuss results alongside specific feedback about what worked and what could change.
Does the report show that effort praise always improves performance?
No. The supplied material describes one study and does not provide enough methodological detail to establish how broadly or consistently its findings apply. It does not show that any type of effort praise guarantees better results.
Source: bolde.com
