Angela Duckworth on getting grittier: "Most things about us are much more changeable than we think they are."
What makes you great at something? Like, a soccer player worthy of competing in the Olympics? Or, to bring it closer to home in my case, a writer who can win a National Magazine Award?
Some would say the answer is simple: talent. Some people are just born smarter or more athletic than others. But today’s guest has a different theory. Angela Duckworth won a MacArthur Genius Grant for her academic work advancing the notion that perseverance matters more than intellect or personality when it comes to high achievement. She calls this trait GRIT. It’s also the name of her book.
Last month, Angela and I had a conversation as part of Yext’s excellent “Answer Me This” series. These talks aren’t typically public, but I wanted to share it with you all. Because if you listen to Angela, you’ll believe that YOU are capable of achieving more. And believing it is central to achieving it. You can find the show here, or listen to it on LinkedIn:
Here are some highlights….
On practice: "Deliberate practice is goal directed. Deliberate practice has immediate feedback usually built in. Deliberate practice is very strategic. It's often designed by a mentor or coach"
On talent: "My point isn't that talent doesn't matter. My point is...that your long-term effort and your long-term commitment are surprisingly important."
On possibility: "Most things about us are much more changeable than we think they are."
On the impact of our belief system: "The largest reason for our reactions to setbacks is what we truly believe deep down inside about the nature of human nature."
On growth: "A growth mindset is believing that those abilities are changeable, and in the face of challenges, you're more likely to keep going."
On diversity & inclusion: "What real diversity inclusion means is having like voices that don't always agree."
🎧 Office Hours
Talent vs. Belief: what do you think matters more for high achievement? Hot on the heels of our Hello Monday episode with Angela Duckworth, the mind behind GRIT, producer Sarah Storm and I will debate the merits of each when it comes to making significant accomplishments. Come, bring a cup of coffee, and join Hello Monday listeners for our mid-week coffee break this Wednesday at 3pm EST. You can rsvp here, or just follow me on LinkedIn.
Career Coach for BIPOC, women & 1st gen professionals helping them get dream jobs & promotions | Featured Career Expert on BBC, Forbes, Harvard Business Review & Talks at Google | Get a free consult @ careerunicorns.com
4yLove this: "persistent illusion that excellence is easy." Thanks, Jessi Hempel and Angela Duckworth.
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4yPersistence
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4yAs a family we've been exploring lots of hard things because of COVID-19. I really appreciated this conversation, especially this aspirational parenting mindset "You're modelling that you're trying."
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4yI agree grit is needed! As a father, I have tried to instill grit in my sons by not sugarcoating failures, by requiring them to find a job while they were in high school, and having conversations with them that they need to start taking care of their expenses and their lives when they graduated high school. Life as an adult is difficult and it requires that we as adults take care of our financial needs on our own.