Summary: Maintaining a growth mindset and confidence in your ability to improve—even as you age—supports continued skill development and achievement.
Source: NTNU
Did you ever imagine becoming a professional athlete, a chess master, or a world-class chef when you were younger?
As we get older, many of us assume those ambitions are out of reach. That perception is common, and recent research explores how the drive to pursue excellence—passion, perseverance (grit), and a growth mindset—changes across the lifespan and differs by gender.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) examined how motivational factors related to skill development vary from adolescence into older adulthood. The study, led by Professor Hermundur Sigmundsson from NTNU’s Department of Psychology, analyzed responses from 1,548 participants aged 13 to 77 to see how passion for achievement, grit, and belief in the ability to improve change over time.
Passion and growth mindset tend to decline with age
The study found that passion—the intense interest or drive to pursue a goal—declines as people age. Similarly, belief in the possibility of improvement, often called a growth mindset, also decreases, particularly after middle age. In practical terms, many people report less enthusiasm for pursuing demanding goals and a reduced expectation that they can reach elite levels in new skills.
However, the researchers emphasize that a decline in passion or belief does not preclude meaningful improvement. Even without becoming a world champion, adults can become highly skilled with focused effort and the right approach. Maintaining a growth mindset—continuing to believe in the capacity to learn and improve—is essential for achieving progress at any age.
Grit increases as people get older
Contrary to passion and growth mindset, perseverance or grit actually increases across age groups. After a dip between the teenage years and young adulthood, grit shows a steady rise in older age groups. This suggests that although older adults may feel less passionate or less confident about reaching elite levels, they often bring greater persistence and determination to long-term pursuits.
Those gains in perseverance can offset declines in other motivational factors. The study even notes that some older adults experience a renewed passion for activities later in life, combining experience and persistence to make notable progress.
Gender differences in passion and growth mindset
The research also identified gender-related patterns. Overall grit scores were similar between men and women, but differences emerged for passion and growth mindset. Men scored higher on measures of passion for achievement, indicating greater intensity of interest in pursuits they are driven to pursue. Women, on the other hand, reported a stronger growth mindset—greater confidence that they can improve and succeed in the skills they choose to pursue.
According to the authors, the finding that women tend to report a stronger growth mindset is notable and among the first times this pattern has been demonstrated at scale.
What this means for learning and aging
The study highlights a nuanced picture: mindset and passion generally decrease across the life span, while grit tends to increase. This combination means that older adults may approach learning differently—less driven by intense passion but more sustained by persistence and resilience. For anyone seeking to acquire or improve a skill, the takeaway is clear: identify what matters to you, cultivate and maintain a growth mindset, and rely on perseverance to make steady gains.
There are no shortcuts to mastery; consistent practice and commitment remain central. Still, the increase in grit with age is encouraging—older learners often have the persistence needed to make substantial progress, even if their goals or expectations shift over time.
About this aging and psychology research
Author: Nancy Bazilchuk
Source: NTNU
Contact: Nancy Bazilchuk – NTNU
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Open access. “Motivational Factors Are Varying across Age Groups and Gender” by Hermundur Sigmundsson et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Abstract
Motivational Factors Are Varying across Age Groups and Gender
This cross-sectional study assessed differences in passion for achievement, grit, and mindset across age groups and between genders. The sample included 1,548 participants (931 females and 617 males) aged 13 to 77 years (mean age 26.53 years, SD = 11.77). Passion for Achievement was measured with an eight-item scale, grit was measured with the Grit-S scale, and mindset was assessed with the eight-item Theories of Intelligence Scale (TIS). Results showed significant differences by age and gender: males scored higher on passion, females scored higher on growth mindset, passion decreased until ages 50–59 and then rose slightly, grit dipped between ages 13–19 and 20–29 before increasing with age, and mindset scores declined notably after age 40–49. Overall, mindset and passion tend to decline over the lifespan while grit increases, indicating distinct developmental patterns for these motivational attributes.