On the Power of “Yet”
At Chisholm Creek Academy, we talk about goals a lot we’re kind of obsessed with them. We believe that goals should stretch us, challenge us, and help us grow our brains. We measure them. We reflect on them. And in our Elementary Studio, learners have even added language to their studio contract about when it’s time to raise the bar and push their goals further.
But it’s not just the goals themselves that matter, it's the language we use around them.
Research shows that positive, challenging goals can actually rewire the brain’s structure and chemistry. The fact of the matter is that the words we choose make a massive impact in the way our brains interpret our ability to either support or hinder our ability to learn and grow. But, simply by adding the word “yet” to the end of a sentence can drastically shift our mindset and changes how we approach the challenges presented to us.
The Power of Yet
The “power of yet” is a key idea in growth mindset theory, developed by psychologist Carol Dweck. It’s the idea that when we say, “I can’t do this yet,” we’re telling our brain that learning is in progress, not over.
This small shift in language has a big impact. It supports motivation, builds resilience, and encourages performance especially in children. (If you're interested, here is her TED talk that dives deeper.)
We hear it all the time from learners:
“I’m not good at this.”
But with the power of yet, we help them reframe it:
“I’m not good at this yet.”
That single word tells the brain: This isn’t permanent. I’m still growing. Dweck’s research shows that when children are praised for effort and strategy rather than talent, they’re more likely to take on challenges and keep going after setbacks. Adding “yet” keeps failure from being final; it becomes part of the learning process.
Simple Steps to Take at Home
We, as parents, play a foundational role in shaping our children’s mindset. These are a a few ways you can implement this language at home.
1. Praise Effort, Not Just Results
Instead of: “You are so smart!”
Try: Praising the effort
“I love how hard you worked on this!”
“I know that puzzle was tricky, I’m proud of how you stuck with it.”
This language reinforces the idea of success coming from perseverance, not innate ability.
2. Use “Yet” to Reframe
When your kid says: “I can’t do this!”
You can reframe it like this:
“You’re struggling now but keep going. You’ll get it soon.”
“Keep going, hard things grow our brains.”
Frustration is reframed into a path forward and part of the process of learning.
3. Praise Strategies and Choices
Instead of: “Great job!”
Praise specific parts of the process and/or choices:
“I see your strategy is breaking it into smaller steps, that’s a really smart.”
“I like that you are trying a new way to solve that nice thinking!”
Help your kids value the problem-solving and creativity of their thinking.
4. Normalize Mistakes as Learning
When something goes wrong, say:
“Mistakes are part of what help us learn. What can you try next time?”
“I like how you didn’t give up even after you made a mistake.”
This builds resilience and reduces fear of failure.
5. Focus on the Process
Say things like:
“Do you remember where you started? Look at how far you’ve come!”
“I saw you rereading the directions to figure out what went wrong and that’s awesome.”
You can help your kids appreciate the learning journey, not just the outcome.
6. Model a Growth Mindset Yourself
Let your kids hear you say:
“This is hard, but I won't let it beat me.”
“I haven’t found the right solution yet.”
As parents, we are constantly demonstrating how to learn and how to handle challenges and our kids see how we handle them.
Why “Yet” Is a Game-Changer
The word yet is a powerful tool that creates space for growth. That one simple word keeps our goals alive instead of shutting it down. It helps our brains be flexible and adjust when our plans fail and reinforces the idea that failure is part of the process that leads to improvement and ultimately success. It’s a tiny semantic redirect, but one that adjusts our brain toward perseverance, positivity, and kindness to ourselves. Preparing our learners for success, not just in school but in life.