Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth

🌰 Wisdom in a Nutshell

Essential insights distilled from the video.

1. Success is more than IQ; it's about motivation and effort.
2. Grit, a marathon-like approach to life, predicts success.
3. Grit significantly influences academic success, especially for at-risk students.
4. Grit, not talent, is key to success, but its development is complex.
5. Foster grit in children through growth mindset and persistent efforts.

📚 Introduction

In this blog post, we explore the concept of grit and its importance in overcoming challenges and achieving success. We discuss how grit is a better predictor of success than IQ, its impact on academic performance, and the complex nature of its development. Additionally, we delve into strategies for fostering grit in children and the role of growth mindset in cultivating resilience.

🔍 Wisdom Unpacked

Delving deeper into the key ideas.

1. Success is more than IQ; it's about motivation and effort.

Success in education and life is not solely determined by IQ, but also by factors like motivation and perseverance. High-performing students can have average IQ scores, indicating that hard work can overcome learning difficulties. Therefore, it's crucial to understand students from a motivational and psychological perspective, and believe that all students can succeed with enough effort.

2. Grit, a marathon-like approach to life, predicts success.

Grit, defined as the passion and perseverance for long-term goals, is a significant predictor of success in various contexts. It involves having stamina and sticking with your future day in and day out, working hard for years to make that future a reality. This approach to life is likened to a marathon, emphasizing the importance of sustained effort over time, rather than a sprint.

3. Grit significantly influences academic success, especially for at-risk students.

Research conducted in Chicago public schools revealed that students with higher levels of grit were more likely to graduate, regardless of factors like family income and test scores. This underscores the importance of grit not just in competitive environments but also in academic settings, especially for students facing higher risks.

4. Grit, not talent, is key to success, but its development is complex.

Grit, the power of passion and perseverance, is a trait that is not necessarily linked to talent. It is often misunderstood and its development is not fully understood. Despite its importance, there are no definitive answers on how to instill grit in individuals, including children. This challenges the common belief that talent alone can lead to success, as many talented individuals often fail to follow through on their commitments.

5. Foster grit in children through growth mindset and persistent efforts.

The concept of growth mindset, which emphasizes that learning ability is not fixed and can improve with effort, is a powerful tool to foster grit in children. This understanding of how the brain grows and changes in response to challenges can significantly increase a child's resilience in the face of failure. However, it's crucial to combine this with other strategies and be persistent in our efforts to help children develop grit. This involves testing our ideas, learning from failures, and continuously striving to improve outcomes for our children.

💡 Actionable Wisdom

One transformative tip to apply and remember.

To cultivate grit in your own life, set long-term goals that align with your passions and values. Embrace the marathon-like approach, understanding that success often requires sustained effort over time. Develop a growth mindset, believing in your ability to learn and grow through challenges. Be persistent in your pursuit of goals, learning from failures and continuously improving. Encourage and support the development of grit in children by fostering a growth mindset, providing opportunities for them to overcome challenges, and being a role model of perseverance and resilience.

🏁 Conclusion

Grit, the power of passion and perseverance, is a crucial factor in overcoming challenges and achieving success. It goes beyond IQ and talent, emphasizing the importance of motivation, effort, and a marathon-like approach to life. While the development of grit is complex, strategies like fostering a growth mindset and being persistent in our efforts can help cultivate this trait in ourselves and in children. By embracing grit, we can overcome obstacles, reach our full potential, and inspire others to do the same.

📽️ Source & Acknowledgment

Link to the source video.

This post summarizes TED's YouTube video titled "Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth". All credit goes to the original creator. Wisdom In a Nutshell aims to provide you with key insights from top self-improvement videos, fostering personal growth. We strongly encourage you to watch the full video for a deeper understanding and to support the creator.