Grit

We tend to over-attribute success to natural talent in sports, education and other aspects of life. While there is some truth to the idea that we’re born with certain raw attributes or we were born into economic circumstances that give us advantages, ultimately, as Angela Duckworth’s Grit shows, grit counts more than talent. We over-index on talent because we don’t see the years of mundane practice it took to get there.

Grit is passion, perseverance and stamina for long-term goals. Gritty people have a “growth mindset”: they believe they can continue to improve. Gritty people engage in more of what is known as “deliberate” practice. Deliberate practice is about systematically and consistently pushing yourself through clearly defined stretch goals, feedback, repetition, reflection and refinement. Essentially, grit is about persevering when things get hard. and these experiences pushing through novel, challenging pursuits make us even better suited to address future challenges. Grit encourages ways to develop passion and perseverance through extracurricular activities such (e.g. sports, learning a musical instrument) and provides evidence that those with this experience are better students and happier workers regardless of raw IQ.

These are not new concepts but Angela Duckworth’s Grit encapsulates them well.