# The Best Is YET To Be | John Andrei Angeles | TEDxShanghai Singapore Intl School

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f59fGgOHajg
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/f59fGgOHajg
Generated: 2026-01-09T16:32:06.826+00:00

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## Quick Overview

John Andrei Angeles delivers a TEDx talk emphasizing the power of adopting a growth mindset, highlighted by the word "YET," to overcome self-doubt, fear of change, and personal struggles, citing his own experience of testing positive for COVID-19 twice and finding motivation in personal growth habits like those in Sean Covey's book.

**Key Points:**
- The speaker overcame initial self-doubt and the feeling of "I'm not enough" by incorporating the word "YET" into negative statements, transforming them into opportunities for growth.
- He references Sean Covey's book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens," specifically Habit 1: Be Proactive, calling it the key to unlocking all other habits and taking control of one's life.
- The speaker shares a personal struggle of testing positive for COVID-19 twice during a period of uncertainty, which forced him to adopt a proactive approach instead of blaming external factors.
- Research showing that students with a growth mindset demonstrate higher brain activity when making errors, processing mistakes more deeply to correct their course.
- He contrasts the fixed mindset (avoiding mistakes, believing one knows best) with the growth mindset (seeing mistakes as learning opportunities, improving with practice).
- The speaker concluded that progress, not perfection, is the goal, achieved through small, consistent actions like planning, doing, and setting goals, rather than waiting for the 'perfect moment.'
- His success in academics (A+ grades) and leadership (becoming House Captain) stemmed from applying these growth principles.

![Screenshot at 00:57: The speaker displays a slide contrasting the Fixed Mindset \(avoiding mistakes, giving up\) with the Growth Mindset \(mistakes help me learn, I won't give up\), visually representing the core theme of the talk.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-00-57.jpg)

**Context:** This is a TEDx talk delivered by John Andrei Angeles at the TEDxShanghai Singapore Intl School event, focusing on the psychological concept of the growth mindset versus the fixed mindset, as popularized by Carol Dweck. The speaker uses personal anecdotes, including overcoming self-doubt during the COVID-19 pandemic and moving to Thailand, to illustrate how adopting proactive habits and the simple addition of the word "YET" can reframe challenges into opportunities for continuous learning and self-improvement.

## Detailed Analysis

John Andrei Angeles presents a motivational talk centered on the importance of a growth mindset to navigate challenges, summarizing that success is about endurance rather than initial strength, quoting Rocky Balboa: "It's not about how hard you hit. It's about how much you can take and keep moving forward." He introduces the concept of adding "YET" to negative thoughts, such as changing "I can't do this" to "I can't do this YET," which he learned from Sean Covey's book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens." The speaker shares his personal experience of contracting COVID-19 twice during a time of uncertainty in the Philippines, which reinforced the necessity of taking ownership (being proactive) rather than blaming external circumstances. He cites studies demonstrating that growth mindset individuals show greater brain activity when making errors, processing mistakes more deeply to correct their path faster, contrasting with the fixed mindset's tendency to give up. The speaker emphasizes that growth happens through small, daily actions like planning, doing, and analyzing, and that this mindset helped him achieve academic success (A+) and leadership roles like House Captain, proving that the journey of growth is ongoing and never truly finished.

### Introduction and Core Concept

- Speaker introduces the struggle with self-doubt and failure, contrasted with the simple yet powerful addition of "YET" to reframe limitations
- 00:08-00:18

### The Power of 'YET'

- Discusses how adding 'YET' transforms negative self-talk ('I'm not good at this' becomes 'I'm not good at this YET') and references Sean Covey's 'Habit 1: Be Proactive' as the key to unlocking other habits
- 00:44-00:56

### Personal Context and Challenge

- Shares personal experience of testing positive for COVID-19 twice during relocation to Thailand, highlighting the fear and uncertainty that necessitated a proactive response
- 02:55-04:42

### Growth vs. Fixed Mindset

- Displays a diagram contrasting fixed mindset phrases (e.g., 'I give up') with growth mindset phrases (e.g., 'I won't give up') and references studies showing higher brain activity in growth mindset individuals when processing errors
- 08:22-08:43

### Conclusion and Call to Action

- Concludes with a Rocky Balboa quote about endurance over initial strength and encourages the audience to take small, consistent actions daily to define their lives proactively, rather than waiting for perfection
- 11:56-13:04

![Screenshot at 00:06: The stage setup before the speaker begins, showing the TEDx event branding for Shanghai Singapore Intl School and the theme 'At the Moment'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-00-06.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:57: A slide illustrating the core difference between a Fixed Mindset \(locked\) and a Growth Mindset \(sprouting plant\), listing characteristic phrases for each.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-00-57.jpg)
![Screenshot at 03:00: An image of a street in the Philippines under community quarantine, illustrating the external challenges the speaker faced during the pandemic.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-03-00.jpg)
![Screenshot at 05:21: A slide displaying Thai road signs indicating directions to 'Railway Station,' 'Pattaya Klang,' 'Pattaya Tai,' and 'Rayong,' coinciding with the speaker discussing his family's move to Thailand.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-05-21.jpg)
![Screenshot at 11:10: A collage slide showcasing the speaker's achievements, including volleyball \('ACAMIS VOLLEYBALL 2025 OUTSIDE HITTER'\), basketball, and group awards, set against the word 'Achievements'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/f59fGgOHajg/00-11-10.jpg)