Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

When I was VP Student Life / Dean of Students at The King’s University, I was constantly looking for resources to help students persevere. This book was one of my go-to volumes. It’s in the self-help genre, so it may be a little painful for some academics. However, Angela Duckworth is an academic herself – she currently serves as the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Grit is a popularized and somewhat watered-down version of her research, so some of you will prefer her more robust academic publications. 

When my old team and I were trying to come up with the theme for 2019-20 we settled on “Fortitude,” partially because it was our university’s 40^th anniversary.  (Get it – “Forty-Tude”?). I defined fortitude as grit plus a growth mindset, and I used Duckworth’s concept of grit as half of this formula (I’ll hit the other one tomorrow using the book Mindset.) Who was to know how important fortitude would become for all of us in this bizarre year?    

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, grit in the context of behavior is defined as “firmness of character; indomitable spirit.” Duckworth, based on her studies, tweaked this definition to mean “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” She and her team observed that individuals high in grit were able to maintain their determination and motivation over long periods despite experiences with failure and adversity. They concluded that grit is a better predictor of success than intellectual talent (IQ), based on a number of substantial studies. She explores this question: talent and intelligence/ IQ being equal, why do some individuals accomplish more than others?

Some of the takeaways of her research could be helpful during this time of pandemic. First, hope is beneficial in becoming gritty. Hope may be hard to come by these days, but it is worth imagining a positive outcome, no matter how distant it feels. If we can see a shimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, we can keep moving forward. Part of this involves finding or rediscovering purpose. How are we making meaning and believing what we do makes a difference to ourselves and those for whom we care?  Is our time in quarantine an opportunity to discover or rediscover our passion? Setting meaningful goals and following through on them can help us make the most of the opportunities that present themselves during these unprecedented times.

Duckworth describes her volume through a deliciously caffeinated lens. She is “taking you out for a coffee and telling you what I know.”  If you love coffee and aren’t getting out much these days (and who is?), why not give this one a try?