Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“What has practicing something a lot taught you about talent versus just putting in the work?”
What to listen for
If they conclude effort matters more than they used to think, they're building a growth mindset that lets them trust their own progress instead of feeling stuck with whatever talent they were "born with."
If they still lean hard on "some people are just naturally better," that's worth exploring with curiosity, not correction, ask what got them there, since it usually traces back to a specific frustrating experience.
A proud story about visible improvement is worth reflecting back to them clearly, let them hear you notice their own growth.
What this tells you
Their take on talent versus effort shows how much they currently believe their own hard work can actually change their outcomes.