Are you Talented?
Ξ July 7th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Microfinance, Psychology, links |
So far, this blog has focused a lot on microloans, philanthropy and so forth. More largely it supports the notion that real growth is spurred by opportunity, not blind aid, and that dignity is more important than wealth. But, while reading a recent article from the New York Times, I realized that perhaps it would be a good idea to explain exactly why we believe these ideas to be true.
The article, “If You’re Open to Growth, You Tend to Grow”, is a fascinating primer on the work of Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychologist. Her years of research have led her to the conclusion that talented individuals achieve their maximum potential when they believe their talent is flexible. This means that individuals who believe that we work our whole lives with the talent we were born with are actually going to make less use of that talent than those who believe that growth is possible. She says that individuals with “growth mind-sets” achieve more than those with “fixed mind-sets” because they are more open to risk and learning from the mistakes that inevitably come from risk-taking behavior. In short, these people instinctively know that you miss all the shots you don’t take.
What does this have to do with aid and microfinance? Well, I think it informs the way we look at poverty and human potential. I agree with Dweck’s assertion that, “Society is obsessed with the idea of talent and genius and people who are ‘naturals’ with innate ability.” This obsession is found in sports, business and practically every other field, but not many stop to question whether it is a productive perspective to hold. It lends itself to a belief that the world is a meritocracy and frames the developing world as void of talent when it is anything but. Anyone who has read Diamond’s “Guns, Germs and Steel” would agree that the current state of world affairs actually has more to do with the distribution of resources and geography than anything else and would certainly agree that the division of power is not the sole indicator of distribution of human talent.
The bottom line is that belief in one’s self and belief in one’s ability to adapt and learn are just as important as IQ. This is what microfinance capitalizes on because loans are not given just on need or even talent, but also on the confidence that the recipient has in him or herself. The recipient has the sort of “growth mind-set” that Dweck champions.
This sort of research is refreshing to hear because it helps untether humanity from the notion that the world is split into winners and losers. Understanding “growth mind-sets” allows us to look at the world, especially the developing world, and our notions of poverty and potential in a much more realistic way.
