Attitude Counts

Positive thinking leads to greater achievement. That’s what researchers at Stanford University found. They gave a math test to 240 children ages 7 to 10. Some of the children believed they were good at math. They did better on the test. Brain scans revealed that positive thinking motivates the brain’s memory center. That boosts problem-solving skills.

The study shows that believing you can become good at something improves your ability to learn. Lang Chen is the study’s lead author. He says, “A good attitude opens the door to high achievement, which means you then have a better attitude, getting you into a good circle of learning.”