Book Review: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
“Passion for your work is a little bit of discovery, followed by a lot of development, and then a lifetime of deepening.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help
In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit.
Why do some people succeed and others fail? Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. Rather, other factors can be even more crucial such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments.
Drawing on her own powerful story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently bemoaned her lack of smarts, Duckworth describes her winding path through teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives success is not genius, but a special blend of passion and long-term perseverance. As a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Duckworth created her own character lab and set out to test her theory.
Here, she takes readers into the field to visit teachers working in some of the toughest schools, cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she's learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers; from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to the cartoon editor of The New Yorker to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that not talent or luck makes all the difference.
Wow, I learned a lot by reading this one:
Before I write my reviews, I usually write down everything that interests me from each chapter of the book. And I wrote a lot from Grit because I learned so much. Other than my personal reason so that I memorise it, I’ll summarise some of it for you.
First of all, grit is basically a combination of passion and perseverance. Before we jump into grit, we must set our goal that will act as an anchor. A goal that aligns with our passion which we should develop before (yes, passion can be developed). There are 3 hierarchies of goal: top-level goal, mid-level goal, and low-level goal. Each level is essential to give us the drive and spirit during adversities, especially to reach a long term goal. Only then, we can keep going.
Second, deliberate practice is what makes us better. We dedicate our time to learn a thing we cannot do yet and refine it. Each deliberate practice has a goal that needs to be accomplished every session. Then, once you have attained mastery, you are in ‘the flow’—a time where you just enjoy yourself while doing it. Deliberate practice probably the hardest part to do. However, tenacity is part of the effort and it takes grit to really improve. In the end, result is worth it.
It can be hard pursuing the same thing for quite a long time. The key to persevere is to hold on to our purpose which becomes our top-level goal. The purpose, however, is usually both self-oriented and other-oriented. In other words, we need to do something we are passionate about and at the same time, positively contributes to other people. By having purpose on both orientations, we tend to perform better and much more committed. So, always remember your purpose.
Another thing to keep in mind is that grit can be practiced. Gritty people tend to strive more in their lives. The good news is: the book give us tips on how to do it. In order to encourage grit in ourselves, we need to commit to one hard thing for two years. We get to choose the hard thing. It’s called The Hard Thing Rules and there are 4 points that need to be tick off. If we combine passion, perseverance, and purpose altogether, it will lead to vocation as a result.
Overall, the book has can really help you to challenge yourself to be a grittier person. By reading it, it opens your mind that your potential can be developed through grit. Totally worth reading.
