November 27, 2023 • 3hr 7min

Dr. Adam Grant: How to Unlock Your Potential, Motivation & Unique Abilities

Huberman Lab

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Grant is an expert on motivation, creativity, and realizing human potential. He has authored several bestselling books and hosts popular podcasts on psychology topics. The wide-ranging conversation covers procrastination, intrinsic motivation, overcoming blind spots, nurturing potential, and many other topics related to psychology and performance.

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Key Takeaways

Procrastination is often driven by avoiding negative emotions like boredom, fear, or anxiety associated with a task, not laziness
Moderate procrastination can sometimes boost creativity by allowing time for incubation of ideas
Intrinsic motivation is key for performance and can be nurtured by finding purpose and meaning in tasks
Growth mindset is most effective when combined with understanding that stress/anxiety can enhance performance
Asking for advice on how to improve, rather than feedback on past performance, leads to more constructive input
The "second score" technique involves aiming to respond well to critical feedback, not just focusing on the initial performance
Thinking like a scientist - forming hypotheses and testing them - is a valuable approach to overcoming biases and blind spots
Authenticity should be balanced with empathy, boundaries and staying true to one's values and principles
Motivation and opportunity matter more than raw talent for realizing one's potential
The "coach effect" shows that giving advice to others boosts one's own confidence and motivation

Introduction

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Grant is an expert on motivation, creativity, and realizing human potential. He has authored several bestselling books and hosts popular podcasts on psychology topics. The wide-ranging conversation covers procrastination, intrinsic motivation, overcoming blind spots, nurturing potential, and many other topics related to psychology and performance.

Topics Discussed

Procrastination and Creativity (5:56)

Dr. Grant explains that procrastination is often driven by avoiding negative emotions associated with a task, not laziness. Interestingly, moderate procrastination can sometimes boost creativity:

It allows time for incubation of ideas and accessing remote knowledge
Extreme procrastinators and "pre-crastinators" who start immediately both tend to have less creative output
Moderate procrastinators still have enough time to develop novel ideas while feeling some time pressure

"People who procrastinate sometimes were rated as more creative than people who rarely do, like me, the precrastinators." - Dr. Adam Grant

Intrinsic Motivation (20:48)

The discussion explores how to nurture intrinsic motivation:

Find curiosity gaps and puzzles within topics to spark interest
Connect tasks to a broader sense of purpose and meaning
Ask others for their advice to boost their sense of competence and motivation

"If you're trying to find a hook to make a topic intriguing, you've got to figure out, okay, what is it that would make this fascinating to me?" - Dr. Adam Grant

Growth Mindset and Performance (1:14:40)

Dr. Grant discusses how growth mindset can be made more effective:

Combine growth mindset with understanding that stress/anxiety can enhance performance
Create an environment and culture that supports growth mindset beliefs
Apply growth mindset not just to skills, but also to one's job role and tasks

"We need to think about the microenvironment that we put ourselves in...we have to go beyond mindset. We have to think about how do we put people in a context that allows them to put their beliefs into practice." - Dr. Adam Grant

Overcoming Blind Spots (1:39:54)

The conversation explores how to identify and overcome blind spots:

Recognize that we all have blind spots as part of being human
Use the "reflected best self" exercise to gain insight from others on your strengths
Think like a scientist - form hypotheses and test them rather than just seeking to confirm existing beliefs
Follow people you disagree with but respect their thought process to challenge your assumptions

"I think the beginning of seeing any blind spot is recognizing that we all have blind spots as part of being human." - Dr. Adam Grant

Authenticity and Communication (2:05:15)

Dr. Grant discusses balancing authenticity with other considerations:

Authenticity without boundaries or empathy can be careless or selfish
Sometimes being true to your values means not being authentic to momentary thoughts/feelings
Consider if a social media post represents who you aspire to be if it was your only post

"Authenticity without boundaries is careless. Authenticity without empathy is selfish." - Dr. Adam Grant

Realizing Potential (2:12:49)

The discussion explores how to unlock human potential:

Motivation and opportunity matter more than raw talent for growth
Embrace discomfort, be a "sponge" for learning, and practice "imperfectionism"
Set a "failure budget" to encourage risk-taking and growth
Use the "coach effect" - giving advice boosts one's own confidence and motivation

"My proudest accomplishments were not in the areas where I started out with the most talent. They were in the areas where I had overcome the most obstacles." - Dr. Adam Grant

Nurturing Potential in Children (3:00:09)

Dr. Grant shares insights on supporting children's potential:

Help kids feel they matter by showing they can make a difference, not just that they're loved
Ask children for advice to boost their confidence and sense of competence
Use the "coach effect" by having kids give advice to others on challenges they face

"Part of feeling that you matter is feeling that you make a difference...as a parent, asking my daughter for advice, that boosted her confidence." - Dr. Adam Grant

Conclusion

This wide-ranging conversation between Dr. Huberman and Dr. Grant explores numerous facets of human psychology, motivation, and performance. Key themes include the nuances of procrastination and creativity, how to nurture intrinsic motivation, making growth mindset more effective, overcoming blind spots through scientific thinking, balancing authenticity with other values, and unlocking human potential. The discussion provides many practical insights that listeners can apply to boost their own performance, creativity, and growth across various life domains. Dr. Grant's research and ideas offer a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to realizing human potential and thriving in both personal and professional spheres.