I am reading a new book: The Motivation Breakthrough by Richard Lavoie. Here is a quotation from the book that I would like to remember:

[on preventing learned helplessness]

"Phrases that increase feelings of learned helplessness:

• Let me do that for you.
• I'll handle it.
• I'll talk to your mother (teacher) to see if I can get her to change her mind.
• I'll send the teacher a note.
• That's too difficult for you.
• I'll call the store and see if they have any left.

Phrases that enhance independence and decrease learned helplessness:

• I'll get the job started and you can finish it.
• Take a chance. See if you can do it.
• I know you can...
• Sounds like you have a problem. What solutions have you thought about?
• Let me teach you how to do this yourself."

"If you want to build a ship, don't recruit the men to gather the wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery