Hey everyone, welcome to the show. Great to be
here. Have you ever looked at someone who's,
you know, wildly successful and just thought,
they've got it easy. They were just born with
that magic touch. Oh, definitely. It's a common
feeling, right? That some people just have it.
What if that feeling, that whole assumption that
talent is the golden ticket, is actually selling
yourself short? What if the real power lies in
something, well, something far more accessible
to all of us? That feeling of innate talent.
Being the only thing that matters. It's everywhere,
isn't it? Yeah. We see the final result, the
like effortless performance, and we kind of forget
everything that went into it beforehand. Right.
But underneath all that, there's usually the
story of just relentless dedication and unwavering
focus. Well, get ready to have those assumptions
challenged. This deep dive is your backstage
pass to the psychology of achievement. And trust
me, the view is pretty surprising. We're dissecting
the core ideas from a really captivating nonfiction
book. It's completely reshaped how I think about
what really separates those who reach their goals
from those who, well, who don't. And if you're
ready to unlock those hidden drivers of success,
you know, the things that really make the difference
when things get tough. Yeah. Then make sure you
hit that like and subscribe button. We've got
plenty more of these in -depth explorations coming
your way, all designed to give you a fresh perspective.
Absolutely. Today, we're plunging into Grit,
the Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela
Duckworth. Great book. It really is. You can
find a link to grab a copy on Amazon right there
in the description below. And look, this isn't
your typical feel -good self -help guide. No,
it's got real research behind it. Exactly. Duckworth,
she's a psychologist, and she dives deep into
rigorous research to show that it's not just
about how smart or talented you are. Right. It's
about how consistently and passionately you pursue
your long -term goals. Get ready for some serious
aha moments about what truly sets high achievers
apart. Our mission today is pretty straightforward,
really. We want to extract the most crucial insights
from Duckworth's work on talent versus what she
calls grit. Right. Grit. And her research, it
spans this fascinating range of high stakes environments.
We're talking the intense pressure cooker of
West Point's training. Wow. The national spelling,
you know, all that pressure. Oh, yeah. Salespeople
facing constant rejection, even the extreme demands
on. green berets. So a huge range. A huge range.
And our goal is to basically distill these findings
into actionable knowledge, stuff you can actually
use for your own ambitions. Okay, let's dive
right in then. One of the things that really
grabbed me early on was Duckworth's own personal
story. Kind of kicks off the book. She talks
about her father having a... a pretty direct
opinion about her intellectual gifts or maybe
lack thereof. What was that about? Yeah, it's
quite a story. Her father pretty bluntly told
her she wasn't a genius. Ouch. Yeah. I mean,
for a lot of people, that can be really discouraging,
right? Totally. But Duckworth's reaction was,
well, it was pivotal. Instead of just accepting
that label, she made a conscious decision. Which
was? She decided she would be the grittiest person
she knew. Ah, okay. So it wasn't about proving
him wrong on the talent front. Exactly. It wasn't
about... innate talent at all. It was about embracing
the power of sheer determination and this personal
drive, this ambition. It really became the seed
for all her groundbreaking research on what she
calls grit. So let's define that in her own words.
What exactly is grit? Duckworth defines grit
as this really potent blend of passion and perseverance
specifically applied to long -term goals. It's
not about those short, intense bursts of effort
we sometimes manage. It's about sustained commitment,
that unwavering dedication to something that
really matters to you, even when you hit those
inevitable roadblocks and setbacks. And one of
the most compelling pieces of evidence she uses
early on comes from her work with cadets at West
Point. You've got to paint a picture of that
environment. What's Beast Barracks? Right, West
Point. It's famous for its incredibly rigorous
standards, both academic and physical. Beast
Barracks is basically the initial summer training
for new cadets. OK. And it's intentionally designed
to be just brutally demanding, pushing them to
their absolute limits mentally and physically.
A significant chunk of cadets actually don't
make it through this initial trial by fire. Wow.
Now, West Point has this super selective admissions
process, right? They're looking for the absolute
best. What kinds of things do they look at? Oh,
absolutely. They use this comprehensive metric
called the hold candidate score. Think of it
like trying to get a 360 degree view of an applicant.
Gotcha. They look at SAT or ACT scores, high
school rank, leadership potential evaluations,
physical fitness tests. Basically, on paper,
these are individuals who look like they have
all the ingredients for success. OK, so here's
where it gets really interesting. What did Duckworth
find when she looked at how these whole candidate
scores actually correlated with who persevered
through Beast Barracks? This is the kicker. In
a really surprising finding, she discovered virtually
no correlation between that whole candidate score
and who successfully completed Beast Barracks.
Seriously, none. Pretty much none. Let that sink
in. All those carefully measured indicators of
talent and potential. Yeah. They didn't predict
who had the sheer willpower to stick it out through
that incredibly tough initial phase. Wow. OK,
so what did predict it? What about the grit scores?
How did she measure that? So Duckworth developed
this grit scale, right? It's a questionnaire
designed to assess someone's level of passion
and perseverance for long term goals. OK. And
what she found was first. These grit scores were
totally separate from the whole candidate scores,
like no relationship. Independent factors. Completely
independent. And second, crucially, the grit
scores emerged as a significant predictor of
who would actually make it through B's barracks.
So the takeaway for you listening is don't let
a perceived lack of initial talent stop you from
tackling something tough. Duckworth's research
really suggests your willingness to just stick
with it. Your grit might be a way more powerful
predictor of getting through that initial hurdle.
Yeah. But the story doesn't end there, right?
What about the cadets who did make it through
BEAST? Exactly. That's the next fascinating layer.
Among those cadets who showed that initial grit
and actually completed BEAST barracks, then the
whole candidate score did become a good predictor.
It predicted their later performance at West
Point, their grades, their military evaluations,
their physical fitness rankings. So it's like
talent matters. But only if you have the grit
to get past the initial challenges first. That's
a great way to put it. Initial talent might predict
later success, but only if you have the grit
to survive the tough stuff up front. So grit.
not the initial measured talent, seems key for
overcoming that first huge obstacle. But Duckworth
didn't just stop at West Point, did she? She
wanted to see if this held true elsewhere. Right.
She took her research into completely different
demanding fields. She went into the world of
sales, specifically looking at salespeople at
a vacation timeshare company. Okay, that sounds
challenging. Lots of rejection, I imagine. That's
exactly. It's a profession notorious for high
rates of rejection. It could be incredibly draining
and a lot of people quit pretty quickly. So what
did she find there? Did grit matter for these
salespeople? She had hundreds of them fill out
personality questionnaires, including her grit
scale. Then she followed up six months later
and a huge number, over half, had already left
the company. But the key finding. The salespeople
who scored higher on the grit scale were far
more likely to still be there after those six
tough months. Wow. More likely than other factors.
Yeah. Grit actually turned out to be a better
predictor of job retention than other personality
traits you might think are important for sales,
like extroversion or even emotional stability.
That's powerful. It shows grit isn't just about
physical endurance like at West Point. It's about...
Handling the emotional grind, the constant setbacks.
Precisely. And she also briefly mentions doing
work with another incredibly resilient group,
the Green Berets. Right, the U .S. Army Special
Operations Forces. Exactly. Their selection process
is famously grueling, even after extensive military
training. While she doesn't detail the data in
the parts we're looking at, the implication is
clear. That grit is probably essential there,
too. You have to assume it plays a huge role
in getting through. that kind of extreme mental
and physical test. OK, so these big studies give
us the broad picture, but sometimes, you know,
a single story really brings it home. Duckworth
talks about one of her seventh grade math students,
David. What was his deal initially? Right, David.
Initially, he was one of those kids who just
seemed to struggle with math concepts compared
to his classmates. We all knew kids like that.
Or maybe we were kids like that. Exactly. And
he was actually labeled as not ready for the
advanced math classes. It looked like he just
didn't have that initial, you know, spark of
aptitude that some others seemed to have so effortlessly.
But David's story takes a really inspiring turn,
doesn't it? What happened later on? It's an amazing
transformation, really. Even when he did get
into a more advanced class, he still struggled.
He got a B in geometry, even failed his first
test in the next class. Got a D. Oof. That could
easily make someone give up on math. It could
have. But instead of throwing in the towel, David
showed incredible grit. He actively sought help.
He analyzed his mistakes. He just persistently
worked at understanding the material. And the
result. By his senior year, he wasn't just taking
the hardest honors calculus course. He aced the
AP calculus exam. Perfect score. No way. Yep.
And it didn't stop there. He went on to get dual
degrees in engineering and economics, then a
Ph .D. in mechanical engineering. And today he's
literally working as a rocket scientist. That's
incredible. David's story is such a powerful
reminder. Perceived lack of initial talent doesn't
have to be the end of the story. Not at all.
His perseverance, his willingness to learn and
put in the effort, that was the real engine of
his success. And this whole question, you know,
what drives achievement? It's not exactly new,
is it? Yeah. Duckworth looks back at some history,
too. She does. She goes back to Francis Galton
in the 19th century. He was a pioneer in scientifically
studying high achievement. What did he conclude
were the key traits? Galton identified this combination.
He saw unusual ability, which we'd probably call
talent, but also exceptional zeal, and something
he called the capacity for hard labor. Zeal and
hard labor. So even back then, effort was clearly
part of the equation. Right. And it's fascinating
what Charles Darwin, who was actually Galden's
half cousin, thought about this. What was Darwin's
take? Darwin's view was pretty surprising. He
wrote to Galton saying he was surprised intellect
was even on the shortlist. Really? Darwin? Yeah.
He famously said that accepting fools, men did
not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and
hard work. He thought that difference in zeal
and hard work was eminently important. Wow. That's
a huge endorsement from Darwin himself. Basically
saying sustained effort might be even more important
than raw intelligence. It really challenges that
deep -seated bias we have towards innate talent.
And speaking of biases, Duckworth explores this
natural versus striber thing. What's that about?
This is fascinating research by Chiao Yun -se.
She looked at professional musicians and business
execs and found this weird contradiction. Okay.
When you asked them directly, they all said,
oh yeah, dedication, effort, training, that's
way more important than natural talent. Makes
sense. They'd know, right? You'd think. But when
Say used more subtle ways to gauge their unconscious
attitudes, she found this strong hidden bias
favoring people presented as naturals, those
perceived to have innate talent. How did she
show that? Like, how did the experiments work?
Well, with the musicians, they listened to recordings
of the exact same pianist playing. But some were
told the pianist was a natural, you know, showed
amazing talent really early. Others were told
the same performance came from a striver. Someone
who got there through sheer hard work and perseverance.
And the result, even though the music was identical.
Yep, identical performance. But musicians consistently
rated the natural as having more potential and
being more hireable. Same thing with business
pros evaluating entrepreneurs. The strivers needed
way more experience, way more initial funding,
just to be seen as equal to the naturals, even
with identical proposals. That really shows how
deep that bias runs, doesn't it? Even when we
consciously know effort is crucial. It's deep.
And Duckworth even saw this emphasis on talent
firsthand when she worked at McKinsey, the big
consulting firm. Right. She mentions that. What
was her observation there? She reflected on their
intense interview process and how much they seem
to rely on things like SAT scores for that first
cut. Like they were prioritizing raw brain power.
And she had this really... telling internal thought
during a tough case interview, one with a complex
math problem. What did she realize? Her thought
was basically, OK, the math here isn't that hard
for me. But if you actually wanted the real answer,
you know what I'd really do? I'd just call someone
who actually knows the answer. That's brilliant.
It highlights that practical knowledge, resourcefulness,
knowing who to ask. That might be more valuable
than just raw analytical ability sometimes. Absolutely.
It's about applying knowledge, not just having
it. And from all this, her research, these observations,
Duckworth starts building her main argument about
effort. What's the core message? The core message
is that our society's obsession with talent,
it kind of winds us. It distracts us from how
incredibly important effort is. Right. She starts
arguing that effort isn't just as important as
talent. In many ways, it's maybe even more important.
And that. leads to her big claim which is that
effort counts twice effort counts twice okay
that's a big statement what does she mean by
that and how does she back it up well she kicks
it off with a relatable example think about how
people talked about bill and hillary clinton
okay a radio commentator noted yeah both are
skilled communicators but bill was always seen
as the natural politician right effortless yeah
i remember that perception while hillary was
often portrayed as someone who had to like contort
herself into the role, she was just a striver.
The implication being she'd never quite measure
up to the natural. It reinforces that bias. Ah,
okay. So it illustrates how we value that perceived
effortlessness. Exactly. And to really dig into
what fuels top performance, Duckworth talks to
Dan Chambliss, the famous Olympic swimming coach.
What were his big insights? Chambliss acknowledged,
yeah, maybe some people have slight physical
advantages to start, but... He strongly believed
that greatness is doable for many. He described
it as an accretion of mundane acts. Basically,
the consistent, often unglamorous dedication
to mastering the tiny details over and over again.
So not magic in the pool. Not magic. It's the
cumulative effect of focused, repetitive effort
day after day. He even tells that story comparing
Mark Spitz and Rowdy Games, two swimming legends.
Games was a gold medal favorite. But what happened
when the team saw Spitz swim? Yeah. Even though
they trained with the incredibly talented gains,
they were just blown away by Spitz's seemingly
effortless grace in the water. One teammate apparently
just said, my God, he's a fish. Wow. That perception
of natural, almost supernatural talent. Right.
Even Chambliss, who's all about the mundanity
of excellence, admitted he was momentarily swayed
by that talent explanation. But he also connects
this to the philosopher Nietzsche, right? What
was Nietzsche's take on achieving greatness?
Nietzsche basically reached a similar conclusion.
He argued great accomplishments come from relentless
intellectual work, active thinking, constant
observation, learning tirelessly trying different
approaches. So like a craftsman. Exactly. Nietzsche
urged us to see great individuals as craftsmen
who meticulously learn all the parts before they
build the whole thing. He valued the process,
the often unseen work, more than just the dazzling
final result. And Duckworth herself had this
key moment developing her theory, getting feedback
from psychologist Marty Seligman. What did he
tell her? Well, despite all the data and insights
she had gathered, Seligman was pretty blunt.
He basically said, you don't have a theory. You
don't have a theory for the psychology of achievement.
Ouch. Tough feedback. Tough, but crucial. It
pushed her beyond just describing things to actually
explaining the underlying mechanisms. And what
was his advice on how to actually get a theory?
His advice was surprisingly simple, maybe a bit
intimidating. Stop reading so much and go think.
Just think? Yep. forced her into this period
of intense reflection. And that's what ultimately
led her to her core equations, the ones linking
talent, effort, skill, and achievement. Can you
lay those out? Okay, so the two equations are
talent times effort equals skill. Right. And
then skill times effort equals achievement. Notice
effort is in both equations. Ah, okay. That's
the effort counts twice part. Exactly. Talent
gives you a starting point, maybe makes learning
faster. But without consistent effort, that talent
doesn't become real skill. And even once you
have the skill, you still need sustained effort
to actually turn that skill into tangible achievements.
Effort is the engine twice over. And she backs
this up with real world examples, right? People
who got amazing results through sheer effort,
not necessarily because they started out as prodigies.
Absolutely. She points to Washington Irving,
the writer. He basically transformed himself
into a master through dedicated daily writing
practice. And she quotes Will Smith, who's pretty
open about not seeing himself as exceptionally
talented. He credits his huge success to a, quote,
ridiculous, sickening work ethic. For him, accomplishment
is just about going the distance. And she uses
that treadmill analogy too, right? Yeah. Comparing
staying on it versus eagerly getting back on
tomorrow. What's the difference? Right. Staying
on the treadmill, that's commitment. Sticking
with your goals even when it's boring or hard.
Got it. But eagerly stepping back on that treadmill
the next day, ready for more work. That, for
Duckworth, embodies true grit. It's that resilience,
that consistent return to effort, even after
setbacks, that really makes the difference. Because
if you give up entirely, effort drops to zero.
And then achievement drops to zero, too. Exactly.
Game over. Okay, so we've established grit. This
mix of passion and perseverance is incredibly
important. But Duckworth actually breaks grit
down into those two parts. What does she mean
by passion here? How is it different from perseverance?
So she defines grit as... working on something
you care about so much that you're willing to
stay loyal to it, like staying in love with it.
Okay. And her grit scale measures both passion
and perseverance separately. Interestingly, people
often score higher on perseverance than passion.
They're related but distinct. So what is passion
in the grit sense? The key thing is it's not
about fleeting, intense emotion. It's not like
falling head over heels for something new every
week. In the context of grit, passion means a
consistent, enduring interest over a long time,
a sustained commitment to a particular field
or a big overarching goal. And she uses Jeffrey
Gettleman, the New York Times journalist, as
an example of this long -term passion. Gettleman,
the Pulitzer Prize -winning East Africa bureau
chief, his journey was like a decade -long step
-by -step process. He started writing for his
student newspaper, then did internships at small
papers, gradually worked his way up through bigger
outlets, until finally, years later, he landed
his dream job covering East Africa for The Times.
Wow. So it wasn't overnight. Not at all. He faced
tons of obstacles, rejections, even dangerous
situations. But his consistent effort... driven
by that deep, enduring passion for international
journalism, kept him moving towards his ultimate
concern. Ultimate concern. That's a key concept.
Duckworth talks about a goal hierarchy to explain
how passion and perseverance connect. Can you
break that down? Yeah, the goal hierarchy. Imagine
a pyramid. At the very top is your single overarching
top -level goal. That's your ultimate concern.
It's like your personal North Star, giving meaning
and direction to everything underneath it. So
for Gettleman, maybe it was be an impactful international
journalist. All his internships, his early jobs,
those were the mid -level and low -level goals
supporting that big one. She also uses Tom Seaver,
the baseball pitcher. Right, the Hall of Fame
pitcher Tom Seaver. His top level goal was incredibly
simple. Pitch the best I possibly can day after
day, year after year. And that single focus shaped
everything else, his training, his preparation,
all the smaller goals. And she says a lack of
grit often isn't about lacking a big dream, but
lacking the supporting goals, the plan. Exactly.
People might have a top level goal, but no clear
mid -level or low -level goals, no concrete steps
to actually get there. But she also makes a crucial
point. Grit isn't about being stubborn about
every little goal. Right. It's not just blindly
pushing forward on everything. Precisely. Grit
involves wisdom, knowing when to prune, when
to let go of a lower level goal or maybe change
your tactics if they aren't serving that higher
level ultimate concern. It's about unwavering
commitment to the big aim, but being flexible
on how you get there. OK, so we get what grit
is, why it's so powerful. Now, the big question
for everyone listening, how do we actually get
more grit? Duckworth says we can grow it from
the inside out. What are the key psychological
assets she identifies? Right. Growing grit from
within. She identifies four key psychological
assets. Think of them as antidotes to quitting.
They are. Interest, practice, purpose, and hope.
Interest, practice, purpose, hope. And she suggests
they tend to develop kind of sequentially, building
on each other. Okay, let's start with interest.
We always hear that advice, follow your passion.
What's Duckworth's take on... interest, and grit.
She agrees. Genuine passion starts with really
enjoying what you do. Every gritty person she
studied could point to parts of their work they're
truly loved. Like who? She gives examples like
Will Shortz, the famous crossword puzzle editor
for the New York Times, or Jeff Bezos, founder
of Amazon. Both built huge careers on deep -seated
interests. Okay. But she cautions that finding
your passion isn't always some big dramatic light
bulb moment. Right, it can be subtle. Often it's
more subtle, gradual, and early in Interests
are usually pretty fragile. They need years of
nurturing and exploration to really bloom. Think
of it like finding a partner the first meeting
is just the start. The relationship needs time
and effort to grow. And she stresses how important
encouragement and some freedom are in those early
stages, right? To let interest take root. Absolutely
critical. Research shows that supportive mentors,
parents, teachers, early bosses who make learning
fun and give you some autonomy to explore, they
play a huge role. Versus being too controlling.
Right. Environments that are too controlling
or directive can actually crush that intrinsic
motivation. Kids and young adults need some agency
to explore what genuinely grabs them if those
interests are going to become lasting passions.
OK. Second asset, practice. And not just any
practice, but deliberate practice like Anders
Ericsson talked about. What makes deliberate
practice different? The huge difference is intentionality
and focused effort. Experts don't just practice
more hours, they practice differently. How so?
Deliberate practice means setting clear stretch
goals, specific targets just beyond your current
reach. It demands intense concentration, zero
distractions. You actively seek immediate feedback,
especially on your mistakes. Focusing on mistakes.
Yes. And then you repeat and refine based on
that feedback. Duckworth uses her own jogging
as an example. Just running the same route, same
pace for years. That won't make you faster or
improve endurance much. You need focused effort
on improvement. And that focus on weaknesses
is key, right? Not just doing what you're already
good at. Exactly. Deliberate practice is about
actively hunting down your errors because that's
where the improvement happens. Analyzing the
feedback is crucial. She mentions that virtual
reality train game for doctors. Oh, yeah. It's
designed specifically to force doctors to confront
and learn from their doubts and mistakes in a
safe space. Now, deliberate practice sounds,
well, hard, effortful. But gritty people also
report experiencing more flow, right? That feeling
of being totally absorbed. Yeah. How do those
fit together? That's a great question. Duckworth
clarifies, deliberate practice is a behavior.
Flow is an experience. They don't always happen
at the same time. In fact, they often don't.
Deliberate practice is about pushing your limits,
focusing on errors that can feel difficult, require
intense concentration. Flow usually happens when
you're using well -honed skills in a situation
that's challenging but manageable. So the hard
practice leads to more flow later. Exactly. Years
of deliberate practice build the skills that
allow you to enter flow more easily when you're
performing. But she also points out deliberate
practice itself can be really gratifying in its
own way. Just seeing yourself get better is rewarding.
And routines help make this happen consistently,
like with Charles Schultz or Maya Angelou. Yes,
routines are huge. They help automate the showing
up part. These super successful people had very
structured days that helped them dedicate time
and energy to that focused work day after day.
Okay, third asset, purpose. How does connecting
our work to something bigger than ourselves help
build grit? Right purpose. Duckworth found that
beyond just enjoying the work interest, real
grit often involves the strong desire to connect
with and contribute to something larger than
yourself. Sort of mission. Kind of, yeah. Many
super gritty people have top level goals deeply
rooted in a sense of purpose. She mentions Antonio
Galoni, the wine critic. His passion for wine
is tied to his mission of sharing that appreciation,
helping others understand their own tastes. Does
the purpose have to be, like, altruistic? Helping
others? Not strictly required. You could have
a gritty villain, maybe. But generally, Duckworth
suggests our most profound, most sustaining grit
experiences often do involve benefiting others
in some way. Amy Rusesniewski's research fits
here, too. The jobs, careers, and callings work.
Exactly. People who see their work as a calling,
something that makes the world better, they tend
to be grittier, more satisfied, miss less work.
And Rusesniewski believed... Almost any job could
become a calling, right? Depending on how you
frame it. Absolutely. It's not about the job
title. It's about your perspective, how you connect
it to others, to deeper values. Remember the
parable of the bricklayers. Laying bricks versus
building a cathedral. Right. Same job. Totally
different sense of purpose. She also tells the
story of Joe Leder, the NYC subway engineer.
His motivation started as just paying off loans.
But over time, he came to see his work as absolutely
vital to the whole city. That shift gave him
a powerful sense of purpose. And finding that
purpose can be a journey itself, like with Michael
Bain. Yes, it took him years. He was interested
in mindfulness, but it took time to integrate
that interest with a clear purpose of using it
to help others' well -being. When those clicked,
he found his calling. Duckworth also saw this
with the Summer Bridge program, the shared purpose
of helping the kids fuel their perseverance.
OK, the final asset, hope. How does this rising
to the occasion kind of perseverance fit in?
Hope is absolutely crucial, really, at every
stage. It's the belief that you can improve,
you can ultimately succeed, even when things
get really tough. Like that Japanese proverb.
Fall seven, rise eight. Exactly. It perfectly
captures that hopeful resilience. Duckworth shares
her own story of struggling in a hard neurobiology
class. And getting a B. Yeah, and feeling immense
pride in that hard one B. It was proof she could
persevere through difficulty. She also brings
in the classic learned helplessness experiments
with dogs. Right, where control mattered. Huge
discovery. Dogs who had some control over shocks
didn't give up. Those who had no control learned
to be helpless. That led to Seligman's work on
learned optimism. Optimists versus pessimists
and how they explain bad events. Right. Optimists
tend to see bad stuff as temporary and specific.
Pessimists see it as permanent and pervasive,
affecting everything. And this optimism connects
directly to grit. like in the Teach for America
study. It does. That study found teachers who
started out more optimistic were also grittier
and more effective in the classroom. Their students
made more progress. Duckworth even talks about
battling her own negative self -talk as a teacher.
But choosing to try new things anyway. Exactly.
Choosing to experiment, to try new tactics instead
of giving up, that's hope in action. And Carol
Dweck's work on mindset is huge here too, right?
Growth versus fixed. Fundamental. A growth mindset
believing your abilities can be developed through
hard work is absolutely key for navigating setbacks.
Which are inevitable if you're chasing big goals.
Totally inevitable. With a growth mindset, failure
isn't proof you're not talented. It's a signal.
Try harder, learn something new. Duckworth points
to key PPP schools, how they explicitly praise
effort and learning over natural talent to build
that mindset. She even gives tips for cultivating
it. Like reframing those fixed mindset thoughts.
Yeah, recognizing them and actively challenging
them. And she shares great examples of Bill McNabb
learning to row as an adult and shifting his
mindset. Outward bound programs, building resilience.
It shows hope and mindset aren't fixed. They
can be learned. Definitely. They can be cultivated.
She even touches on Steve Mayer's later brain
research showing how control over stress can
build lasting resilience. And Kevan Asimani's
amazing story of overcoming adversity with optimism.
She wraps up with practical advice. Update your
beliefs about intelligence, brain plasticity,
practice optimistic self -talk, get support if
you need it. Okay, so that's growing grit from
the inside. Interest, practice, purpose, hope.
But Duckworth also says our environment, the
people around us, shape our grit from the outside
in. What are those key external influences? Right,
the outside influences. Huge impact from parents,
coaches, teachers, bosses, mentors, even friends.
She looks at that whole debate, strict versus
more liberal parenting for fostering grit. Using
examples like Steve Young and Francesca Martinez.
Exactly. Steve Young's dad was super demanding,
wouldn't let him quit. But it came from a place
of wanting him to succeed. Francesca Martinez's
parents were more encouraging of her pursuing
her dreams, but still instilled a strong work
ethic. So different styles, but maybe a common
thread. What does Duckworth call it? She calls
the pattern wise parenting. It's this effective
blend of being supportive and warm and having
high expectations, demanding effort. Nancy Darling's
parenting assessment tool helps think about that
balance. And wise parenting encourages kids to
copy parents who model hard work. Yes. Kids emulate
parents who work hard and believe in long -term
goals. Mentors beyond parents are huge, too,
like Juergen for Toby Litke. And then there's
wise feedback. What makes feedback wise? Wise
feedback gives you the critical stuff you need
to hear, but delivers it with high expectations
and a clear belief that you can reach those expectations.
It's not just criticism. It's criticism paired
with confidence in your potential. The Post -it
notes study she mentions shows how powerful that
is. And doing hard things you actually like outside
of school is important, too. That's so. Sports.
Music, clubs. Definitely. These extracurriculars
offer that perfect mix of challenge and intrinsic
motivation. There are great training grounds
for grit because you want to be there, but you
still have to persevere. And research backs this
up. Better outcomes later. Yeah. She talks about
Willingham's follow through rating, basically
sticking with a few activities purposefully and
making real progress. And her own grit grid study
showed that making multi -year commitments with
achievement in high school strongly predicted
sticking with college. She also mentions just
needing a decent childhood as a foundation. Support
and opportunities. Yeah, Jeff Canada's perspective.
Having basic support is crucial. And she even
includes that fascinating rat study by Eisenberger.
Where working hard on one thing made them tougher
on the next thing. Yeah, suggesting that overcoming
challenges might build a more general capacity
for grit that transfers. She uses ballet class
as an example. It's a place to practice interest,
deliberate practice, purpose, performing, and
hope. dealing with setbacks all at once. Finally,
she talks about the power of culture, like Pete
Carroll with the Seahawks or Anson Dorrance with
UNC soccer. Culture is huge. It shapes our norms,
our identities. Pete Carroll emphasizing great
competitors who are resilient and always expect
to succeed. Anson Dorrance deliberately building
a gritty culture with core values. So being around
gritty people makes you grittier. It's like conformity
can be an easy way to get grit. The group's norms
become your norms. Over time, the way we do things
around here becomes the way I do things. Your
identity shifts. You make decisions based on
what does someone like me do now? She gives examples
like Tom Dyerline, the West Pointer and Ranger,
defining himself by grit. Or Jamie Dimon at J
.P. Morgan talking about fierce resolve. Exactly.
And leaders set the tone. Kaslan at West Point
leading from the front. Dyerline recalling an
instructor who believed in him during ranger
training, helping him push past his limits. Even
Pete Carroll sees opponents as creating challenges
that help the team become its best. OK, so wrapping
up, what are the main takeaways on how we can
actually grow more grit, looking both inward
and outward? OK, so two main paths. Inside out.
Actively find and develop your interests. Commit
to that tough but rewarding deliberate practice.
Connect your work to a meaningful purpose beyond
just yourself. And learn to cultivate hope and
a growth mindset, especially when you fail. Right.
And outside in. Surround yourself with the right
people supportive but demanding wise influences
like good parents or mentors. And immerse yourself
in cultures, groups, or environments that genuinely
value and reward perseverance and learning from
mistakes. And she adds that important caveat
at the end. Grit isn't about stubbornly finishing
everything you start. Crucial point. It's about
holding fast to that top level ultimate concern,
that big goal, while being smart and flexible
enough to adjust the smaller, lower level goals
along the way if needed. It's strategic perseverance.
Exactly. And she offers some reassurance. An
epidemic of grit isn't likely. Many people still
struggle with commitment. And finally, remember,
grit isn't everything. Character is complex.
Self -control, relating to others, intellectual
curiosity, they all matter. or two. Grit is part
of performance character, those resume virtues.
And she leaves us with that big question. Yeah,
basically asking, is there anything as interesting
as the psychology of achievement? Could there
be anything more important? And she throws in
that bit about Ta -Nehisi Coates viewing failure
as crucial fuel, driven by curiosity, a good
reminder that the path isn't smooth. And of course,
she thanks all the researchers who contributed.
Well, this has been an incredibly insightful
deep dive into the power of grit. Thank you so
much for breaking it all down. I've definitely
got a lot to think about. My pleasure. It's powerful
stuff. And hopefully our listeners found some
valuable takeaways, too. We would absolutely
love to hear from you all. What was your biggest
aha moment from this discussion or your key takeaway?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Yeah,
let us know. And if you found this deep dive
valuable, please hit that like button and maybe
share it with someone else who could benefit
from understanding the real power behind passion
and perseverance. So here's a final thought to
chew on. Now that you've explored the science
of grit, what's maybe one small doable step you
can take today to cultivate just a little more
passion or a little more perseverance in an area
of your life that truly matters to you? Great
challenge. That's your challenge for the week.
Until our next deep dive, keep exploring and
keep striving.