It’s a commonly acknowledged fact: life is hard, and humans are in constant struggle against its demanding flow. Why, then, do people strive to continue on despite all the bitterness and difficulties? Why not quit forever?
Grit by Angela Lee Duckworth is an incredibly empowering and enlightening book, with many crisp replies to controversial questions, one of which is, what leads to success? Grit, by definition, is the “power of passion and perseverance” and, according to the author, the characteristic in people that is the most “significant predictor of success”, even more than IQ, social skills, family life, confidence, and so many other factors.
Many are skeptical. Grit is similar to, although not identical to, effort. And effort is something many proclaim as important, yet deep down, dismiss. For instance, phrases such as “effort matters more than talent” are widely used, when it comes down to our involuntary ways and judgments, we all tend to value talent over effort. We may give speeches on how the results don’t matter as long as the individual tried their best, yet we still unconsciously believe talent—something the individual was born with and did not have to strive to obtain—to be the quality that outshines all. We are “distracted by talent”.
For instance, if a young girl, “Elise”, is able to grasp a new mathematical concept that is considered overly difficult for her age, and to solve numerous problems on this concept correctly, the first compliments she’d likely receive would be “You’re a genius!” or “You’re so talented!” or “You’re a natural!” Later, however, if Elise hits a wall, the words she’d be likely to hear would be “This is hard. Don’t feel bad if you can’t do it.” “At least you tried.” Words that are meant to rekindle her self-esteem, yet are instilling in her young mind the subtle poison of Talent-over-Effort. Grit tells us that, in situations such as this, Elise should be told, “You’re a learner!” instead of “You’re a genius!”. She should be told, “Let’s talk about something you could do better.” instead of “At least you tried!”
This way of thinking and speaking, the author defines as “growth mindset”, a manner of considering grit more valuable than intelligence. This may sound like a small step, but it may grow into a huge movement to discover the next generation of geniuses around the world, because ultimately, it is our mindset that influences our words and actions. The growth mindset encourages not only children, but teens and adults to consider intelligence as something that can be expanded with effort, not something fixed. To live with the belief that mistakes are essential steps to success. To strive to improve strengths and conquer weaknesses. To know that “effort counts twice”. To grow grit.
So, how should grit be grown? The rest of Grit is structured into two parts: growing grit from the inside out, and growing grit from the outside in.
To grow grit from the inside out, the individual should possess four main qualities: interest, practice, purpose, and hope. Firstly, interest in one’s goal is imperative, because it is what will begin the run to the finish line, no matter the individual’s goal—personal or universal, long-term or short-term, physical or emotional, running the mile in five minutes or getting perfect on a test. Secondly, practice is a commonly misunderstood aspect. “Practice makes perfect” is an old cliché, yet so many are engaging in the wrong type of practice. Monotonous drilling without a vision or passion will not ignite an enthusiasm; in fact, quench one. Instead, incorporate stretch goals into daily routines. Find and increase the thirst to improve; it is what motivates people to view the hours of repetition as a delight. Thirdly, purpose is what enables an individual to view a goal from a larger perspective. Considering people—one’s family or the whole world— the attaining of the goal will benefit, the individual may gain a fresh spur from the thought that others are involved in the goal alongside them. Finally, hope is essential for ultimate mastery. Hope is what will shed new light to one’s mind when life’s complexity and demands feel overwhelming. It is the adaption of a positive and encouraging mindset, which will do wonders for one’s ability to persevere through struggles. This optimistic mindset is what enables the growing of grit from the outside in.
To grow grit from the outside in, wise parenting, “playing fields of grit”, and a “culture of grit” are the things necessary to grow gritty youths. In short, the three things share one commonality: a balance of authority and support for cultivation. For instance, the ideal style of parenting is a mixture of both authoritative (forbidding wrongdoings, righteous punishments, teaching correct morals) and supportive (warm, loving, forgiving, giving a freedom to explore) styles. Within the correctly balanced range, the child will thrive. The playing fields and a culture of grit are a further inclusive area for young individuals to grow in a both structured and embracing environment. By engaging in various extracurricular activities, children and teens receive new experiences, friends, and potential fields to explore. As well as the enjoyment, the youths are also taught to stick to what they said they would—to see a session through, to complete a book, to learn to do a complicated jump. The variety of unknown grounds to explore and conquer give children countless benefits, priceless in their influence in the early years of a human being.
Grit communicates with the reader frankly yet eloquently. Grit is not only a pathway to success, but one to happiness. Grit goes hand-in-hand with life satisfaction, regardless of age. Grit can be grown in two ways: from the inside out through interest, purpose, practice, and hope, and from the outside in, through a balanced environment and caregivers. In reply to the question asked at the beginning, grit is why we live on, hacking away at the boulders life places in our path. What we should strive to be is not someone who never makes a mistake, but instead, someone who can rise up from countless failures. Grit suggests as an ending thought, that such a person may be the new definition of a “genius.”
(Published in The Sequitur, January 2019, Westdale Secondary School, Hamilton, ON)
