YOLA Study Shows Value of Failure

Increasing “failure mindset” may not sound like a good idea — but it is, according to a team from Stanford University researching YOLA’s psychological impact.

What is failure mindset? It’s the belief that making mistakes — and working through them — is how one eventually succeeds.  Psychologists say this helps kids understand that hard work pays off, which contributes to better grades, career progress and healthy social lives.

The draft study, conducted by Stanford’s SPARQ (Social Psychological Answers to Real-world Questions) Research Center, included two surveys of 155 YOLA students a year apart. Overall, the surveys found high levels of agreement with statements about having future goals, a sense of belonging at YOLA, and a willingness to help others. Failure mindset, however, was the one factor that increased year over year.

The SPARQ report recommended ways to bolster this mindset even further at YOLA. For instance, praise such as, “You worked so hard to learn that piece!” helps students connect effort to achievement. An unsuccessful audition, on the other hand, can become a lesson in how to improve for next time.

One SPARQ researcher recalled the piano teacher who helped her overcome a fear of failure with this saying: “Music with mistakes is better than no music at all.”