Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure
02/18/24 • 7 min
When I praise the family dog for doing a good thing, I'm not sure if it matters what words I say to him. He seems equally excited and happily wags his tail whether I say "good boy!" or "bad doggie!" as long as I use the same tone of voice.
Of course, people are different, and the words we use do matter in the feedback we offer.
So if we're trying to build up a student's confidence, and embolden them to take on new challenges, what kind of praise works best?
A 2014 study suggests that not all praise has the same effect. And that even if well-intentioned, one particular type of praise can backfire and even heighten a student's fear of failure. 😳
Get all the nerdy details right here:
Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure
* *
Has performance anxiety been a nagging issue that tends to get in the way of your playing, no matter how prepared you feel before performances, auditions - or even lessons? Or have you just been feeling a little stuck, like you’re not making much progress in the practice room?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting April 6, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 4-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and explore the relevant research in four essential areas, experiment with a curated set of exercises and techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world.
Registration closes Sunday, March 30, 2024.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can get all the details and learn how to join Cohort 22 at:
When I praise the family dog for doing a good thing, I'm not sure if it matters what words I say to him. He seems equally excited and happily wags his tail whether I say "good boy!" or "bad doggie!" as long as I use the same tone of voice.
Of course, people are different, and the words we use do matter in the feedback we offer.
So if we're trying to build up a student's confidence, and embolden them to take on new challenges, what kind of praise works best?
A 2014 study suggests that not all praise has the same effect. And that even if well-intentioned, one particular type of praise can backfire and even heighten a student's fear of failure. 😳
Get all the nerdy details right here:
Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure
* *
Has performance anxiety been a nagging issue that tends to get in the way of your playing, no matter how prepared you feel before performances, auditions - or even lessons? Or have you just been feeling a little stuck, like you’re not making much progress in the practice room?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting April 6, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 4-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and explore the relevant research in four essential areas, experiment with a curated set of exercises and techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world.
Registration closes Sunday, March 30, 2024.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can get all the details and learn how to join Cohort 22 at:
Previous Episode
Do You Have a Bias Against Creative Students (Without Realizing It)?
I think we would all say that we value creativity and would enjoy having more creative students. But is this actually reflected in our actions?
Research suggests that we may not be as appreciative and supportive of creative students as we'd like to think. Wait...how can that be?
Get all the nerdy details and this week's practice hack here:
Do You Have a Bias Against Creative Students (Without Realizing It)?
* *
Has performance anxiety been a nagging issue that tends to get in the way of your playing, no matter how prepared you feel before performances, auditions - or even lessons? Or have you just been feeling a little stuck, like you’re not making much progress in the practice room?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting April 6, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 4-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and explore the relevant research in four essential areas, experiment with a curated set of exercises and techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world.
Registration closes Sunday, March 30, 2024.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can get all the details and learn how to join Cohort 22 at:
Next Episode
A Simple Strategy for Reducing Worries and Practicing With More Focus
Ever find yourself being distracted in the practice room by random thoughts and worries?
Like worrying about all the other music that you need to learn. Or the entrance you missed in the last rehearsal. Or whether you're prepared for the upcoming SAT's.
Like in-laws who live across the street, these worrisome thoughts like to spontaneously pop into our personal mental space at the most inconvenient times, and make it difficult to focus effectively on the thing we're actually doing in that moment.
And there is an emotional cost too, as worrying can make us more stressed, anxious, and tense.
So...is there anything we can do to reduce these worries and get better at single-tasking and focusing on the thing in front of us at the moment?
Get all the nerdy details right here:
A Simple Strategy for Reducing Worries and Practicing With More Focus
* *
Has performance anxiety been a nagging issue that tends to get in the way of your playing, no matter how prepared you feel before performances, auditions - or even lessons? Or have you just been feeling a little stuck, like you’re not making much progress in the practice room?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting April 6, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 4-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and explore the relevant research in four essential areas, experiment with a curated set of exercises and techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world.
Registration closes Sunday, March 30, 2024.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can get all the details and learn how to join Cohort 22 at:
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