How the Mentor Mindset Can Help Adults Show Up Better for Tweens and Teens

In this book, David Yeager presents groundbreaking research on motivating young people between the ages of 10 and 25. He challenges the conventional 'incompetence model' of adolescent behavior, which views young people as lacking in maturity, self-control, and decision-making ability. Instead, Yeager introduces the social belonging theory, emphasizing that young people are driven by a deep need for social connection and belonging. The book explains how adults can adopt a 'mentor mindset' by validating young people’s perspectives, asking them questions, being transparent about their beliefs and goals, and holding them to high standards. This approach has been shown to reduce various behavior problems, including school dropout, unhealthy eating, stress, and mental health issues. Yeager's work provides a constructive and hopeful perspective on adolescent development, offering actionable insights for educators, parents, and mentors to create environments that foster motivation, resilience, and success[2][3][5].