We have been made to believe being a genius has to do with our genes. So most people grow up to believe they can never be a genius. What if I told you being a genius doesn’t entirely depend on your genes?
Researchers from Michigan State University say being told that achievement comes from hard work rather than genetics provokes instant changes in brain patterns and could inspire greater effort on the part of those who wish for success.
According to Hans Schroder, who is a third year doctoral student in clinical psychology ‘Giving people messages that encourage learning and motivation may promote more efficient performance. In contrast, telling people that intelligence is genetically fixed may inadvertently hamper learning.’
Schroder told Relaxnews that he worked with a total of 44 undergraduate students, with women slightly outnumbering men.
He divided them at random into two groups in which they were given one of two articles to read, conveying intelligence as being either genetic or trainable in a challenging environment. He then attached participants to electroencephalography machines and asked them to complete a simple computer task under EEG surveillance.
The EEG readings of participants’ brainwaves allowed him to see how much attention participants paid to their mistakes during the task.
So all you have to do to be a genius is just believe in yourself. You can if you believe.
Phil