GRIT is written by Angela Duckworth, a 2013 MacArthur Fellow and a professor with degrees in neurobiology, neuroscience and a PhD in psychology. This lady has studied our brains and how they function. In GRIT she addresses the keys to human performance uncovered through decades of research and brought to life by real-world examples from her studies and her own life. Included in the book is a simple assessment to determine just how GRITTY you are. The good thing is grit is malleable. Grit can grow and you have the tools to do so, as outlined in Angela’s book.
For someone who focuses on helping others discover their unique talents, the early chapters of the book challenge the benefit of talent. I don’t disagree. Success in any endeavor requires more than just the gift of natural talent. The talent must be used productively to generate a benefit and that takes an investment of time, energy and resources to turn a talent into a strength.
While talent helps, Angela identifies three other keys to achievement:
Interest: Yes, as in “follow your passion”. If we don’t have strong enough interest in something we will not invest in developing it. I am tall with long arms and have some natural talent for basketball. I played the sport in high school but not very well. It just didn’t interest me to invest time in developing that talent. I would rather ride my horse.
The other thing about interest is it can take time to develop. Trying on, experimenting, taking lessons can all lead to the development of an interest. Ask a kid or even an adult what they are interested in and you likely get an “I dunno know.” If you haven’t discovered your interest yet, keep exploring. This interest is necessary to keep you growing and developing and you’ll need that interest for the next component.
Practice: a continuous drive to develop and do better. Consider that guy on the treadmill three days a week at the gym. He runs the same three miles, never varying speed or incline. Skip the gym for a year, come back and you will find the same guy in the same condition. Doing something repeatedly is not necessarily practice. Doing something with a drive to improve will cause the guy to vary the speed and incline on the treadmill and perhaps do some weight lifting and stretching to improve his running. The same is true for what you decide to develop. Your practice must become deliberate and you will find the formula for deliberate practice in the book.
Purpose: is deeper than interest. Purpose is directed outward and intends to contribute to the well-being of others. Being part of something bigger, greater and outside of ourselves fuels us with determination to improve and eventually succeed. And purpose, just like interest, can and needs to be developed. It doesn’t just show up as a calling. Rather by doing and experimenting and reflecting on the impact of your work, you may just find your calling. How are you helping the world today?
In GRIT, Angela has identified what naturally occurs when we witness great achievement. Rather than simply chalking it up to “natural” talent or luck, we can apply these steps to our efforts toward achievement. I highly recommend the book as a supplement to your work in developing your strengths.