Based on my own academic experiences, I would prefer hearing the compliment of working hard. If I hear that I am working hard on a project or assignment, then I have enough confidence in myself that if I can succeed in what I am doing, then I feel "smart." When I get frustrated, I have a tendency to get very emotional and over-react. It is not so much that I am not capable of performing the task, but rather I am afraid I will not be able to complete it. However, when this feeling comes over me, it is only temporary. After I talk out my frustration with someone, I feel a lot better. Normally I talk to my mom, who always gives me words of encouragement and it gives me more confidence in knowing that I can succeed at the task. This is an example of where I feel that encouragement and praise of effort will help students rather than praising someone for being smart. With the encouragement to work hard, it gives one the confidence that they can succeed.
I have never been one to quit on something. I would rather spend hours on a task to achieve perfection. For example, during group work I sometimes have a tendency of choosing to lead the group and complete a lot of the work myself. It is not that I do not trust my group members, but rather I want it done the way I see fit because I feel that would be the best way. To me, giving up is just like failure, even if the task is not graded or school-related for that matter. I would rather stick it out and see how it ends. Even if I do not finish the task or perform to the standards of others, I know that I tried my hardest. In this case, I also know that I learned something new from the task. I feel every time this happens, I am bettering myself as a person, and ultimately this will lead to personal satisfaction and greatness.