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10 to 25
The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation—And Making Your Own Life Easier
By David Yeager
Table of Contents
About The Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Acclaimed developmental psychologist David Yeager reveals the new science of motivating young people ages ten through twenty-five in this groundbreaking book that is a must-read for managers, parents, educators, coaches, and mentors everywhere.
“Ambitious and revelatory...10 to 25 offers baffled adults new approaches—and possibly new hope—during some of their families’ most difficult years.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Required reading for anyone who aspires to be a wise influence on the young people they care about.” —Angela Duckworth
“One of the most fascinating and important books of the past decade...It will change millions of lives.” —Carol Dweck
“This engaging, data-driven book is filled with practical insights.” —Adam Grant
Imagine a world in which Gen Xers, millennials, and boomers interact with young people in ways that leave them feeling inspired, enthusiastic, and ready to contribute—rather than disengaged, outraged, or overwhelmed. That world may be closer than you think. In this book based on cutting edge research, psychologist David Yeager explains how to stop fearing young people’s brains and hormones and start harnessing them.
Neuroscientists have discovered that around age ten, puberty spurs the brain to crave socially rewarding experiences, such as pride, admiration, and respect, and to become highly averse to social pain, such as humiliation or shame. As a result, young people are subtly reading between the lines of everything we say, trying to interpret the hidden implications of our words to find out if we are disrespecting or honoring them. Surprisingly, this sensitivity to status and respect continues into the mid-twenties. 10 to 25 helps adults develop an ear for the difference between the right and wrong way to respect young people and avoid frustrating patterns of miscommunication and conflict.
Yeager explains how to adopt what he terms the mentor mindset, which is a leadership style that’s attuned to young people’s need for status and respect. Anyone can adopt the mentor mindset by following a few highly effective and easy-to-learn practices such as validating young people’s perspectives (rather than dismissing them), asking them questions (rather than telling them what to do), being transparent about your beliefs and goals (rather than assuming that they will accurately guess your thoughts), and holding them to high standards (rather than coddling them). Yeager’s scientific experiments have shown these practices reduce a wide variety of behavior problems, including school dropout, unhealthy eating, stress, purposelessness, mental health problems, and more.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mentoring is that it takes up too much time. On the contrary, those who use the mentor mindset end up with more time. Through back-and-forth conversations, young people feel empowered, and managers can transfer responsibility to them. Young people in this age group are poised to learn, grow, and accomplish incredible things—if only we can tap into the basic neurobiological systems that drive their motivation and behavior.
An essential read for anyone who interacts with young people, 10 to 25 is a groundbreaking book that offers long-term strategies to help nurture well-adjusted, independent, accomplished young people who contribute to society in positive ways—all while making our own lives easier.
“Ambitious and revelatory...10 to 25 offers baffled adults new approaches—and possibly new hope—during some of their families’ most difficult years.” —The Wall Street Journal
“Required reading for anyone who aspires to be a wise influence on the young people they care about.” —Angela Duckworth
“One of the most fascinating and important books of the past decade...It will change millions of lives.” —Carol Dweck
“This engaging, data-driven book is filled with practical insights.” —Adam Grant
Imagine a world in which Gen Xers, millennials, and boomers interact with young people in ways that leave them feeling inspired, enthusiastic, and ready to contribute—rather than disengaged, outraged, or overwhelmed. That world may be closer than you think. In this book based on cutting edge research, psychologist David Yeager explains how to stop fearing young people’s brains and hormones and start harnessing them.
Neuroscientists have discovered that around age ten, puberty spurs the brain to crave socially rewarding experiences, such as pride, admiration, and respect, and to become highly averse to social pain, such as humiliation or shame. As a result, young people are subtly reading between the lines of everything we say, trying to interpret the hidden implications of our words to find out if we are disrespecting or honoring them. Surprisingly, this sensitivity to status and respect continues into the mid-twenties. 10 to 25 helps adults develop an ear for the difference between the right and wrong way to respect young people and avoid frustrating patterns of miscommunication and conflict.
Yeager explains how to adopt what he terms the mentor mindset, which is a leadership style that’s attuned to young people’s need for status and respect. Anyone can adopt the mentor mindset by following a few highly effective and easy-to-learn practices such as validating young people’s perspectives (rather than dismissing them), asking them questions (rather than telling them what to do), being transparent about your beliefs and goals (rather than assuming that they will accurately guess your thoughts), and holding them to high standards (rather than coddling them). Yeager’s scientific experiments have shown these practices reduce a wide variety of behavior problems, including school dropout, unhealthy eating, stress, purposelessness, mental health problems, and more.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mentoring is that it takes up too much time. On the contrary, those who use the mentor mindset end up with more time. Through back-and-forth conversations, young people feel empowered, and managers can transfer responsibility to them. Young people in this age group are poised to learn, grow, and accomplish incredible things—if only we can tap into the basic neurobiological systems that drive their motivation and behavior.
An essential read for anyone who interacts with young people, 10 to 25 is a groundbreaking book that offers long-term strategies to help nurture well-adjusted, independent, accomplished young people who contribute to society in positive ways—all while making our own lives easier.
About The Author
Justin Leitner
David Yeager, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. He has consulted for Google, Microsoft, Disney, and the World Bank, as well as for the White House and the governments in California, Texas, and Norway. His research has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and more. Clarivate Web of Science ranks Yeager as one of the top 0.1% most-influential psychologists in the world over the past decade. Prior to his career as a scientist, he was a middle school teacher and a basketball coach. He earned his PhD and MA at Stanford University and his BA and MEd at the University of Notre Dame. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and their four children.
Product Details
- Publisher: Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster (August 6, 2024)
- Length: 464 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668023884
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Raves and Reviews
“Ambitious and revelatory . . . 10 to 25 offers baffled adults new approaches—and possibly new hope—during some of their families’ most difficult years.” —Wall Street Journal
“Ask business leaders about corporate life today, and one issue comes up again and again: the challenge of managing Gen Z. So much ink has been spilled on this that it is difficult to make the subject fresh. But by drawing on science and management theory, David Yeager cuts through the noise . . . [with] practical, targeted advice on managing young people.” —Financial Times
“There are many books about the challenges of relating to young people—but none like this one. Grounded in David Yeager’s pioneering scientific research, 10 to 25 offers actionable advice and real-life storytelling that’s beautifully written, comprehensive, and filled with warmth. This book is required reading for anyone who aspires to be a wise influence on the young people they care about.”
—ANGELA DUCKWORTH, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grit
“A valuable resource for every parent, boss, coach, and teacher struggling to help young people reach their potential. David Yeager has spent his career designing experiments that inspire students to aim higher, persist longer, and achieve more. His engaging, data-driven book is filled with practical insights to turn you into a better motivator.”
—ADAM GRANT, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again, and host of the podcast ReThinking
“This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what makes the years between 10 and 25 so emotionally fraught and occasionally treacherous—and at the same time so full of incredible potential. As a parent of a teenager, this book gave me a valuable new way of seeing my son’s journey. As a reader concerned for the future, it gave me a new sense of hope.”
—PAUL TOUGH, New York Times bestselling author of How Children Succeed
“This amazing book will change millions of lives. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or manager, it’s hard to understand young people—what they want, what will help them flourish, and what will make your life with them rewarding. Superstar researcher David Yeager provides answers that have been validated by both scientific studies and real-world experts. This is one of the most fascinating and important books of the past decade.”
—CAROL DWECK, bestselling author of Mindset
“In these case studies and profiles of successful mentors, Yeager shows how the most successful leaders not only expect the youth to succeed but also work with them to find the path to success. The answer to motivating youth is to have respect for their abilities, high standards, an understanding of their need for status, and full support. Yeager offers concrete guidelines. This is a gold mine for anyone dealing with people in this age group.” —Booklist
“An instructive look at how adults misapprehend developing minds over the extended adolescence that lasts from 10 to 25 . . . An encouragement to be encouraging, and an approach that seems worth trying on the next surly teenager to come along.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This book is life-changing. Filled with tons of evidence-based advice, 10 to 25 will change the way you parent and transform how you think about connecting with the next generation. This is a must-read for anyone who works with young people.”
—LAURIE SANTOS, Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast
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