Grit: An Essential Component In The Psychology Of Success
Let’s be honest, we all want to achieve success in what we do There are many books that advise us how to do it. However, despite so much information out there… we are still looking for the perfect recipe that will allow us to get there as quickly as possible and perhaps without much effort. We are obsessed with obtaining results, and we focus little on the process. But to taste the sweet fruits of seeing our most important goals achieved, much more than intention and desire is required, effort is necessary.
In this article, I want to share what I’ve read about the research of Angela Duckworth, a prominent professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, on the psychology of success.
This researcher has interviewed leaders from the world of business, sales, art, sports, journalism, medicine, the military, education and law to try to discover what makes them stand out in their profession, and although there are certainly characteristics particular in each field, specific qualities and advantages, has found that passion and perseverance is what distinguishes great achievers. The combination of these two elements is called grit
Passion, more than intensity and something temporary, refers to continuing with our goals over time. Have constant commitment and dedication to them, not change interests so easily. It is having a clear and defined philosophy of life. Duckworth explains that it is having a primary goal that is an end in itself. This goal acts as a compass that guides our life and it gives meaning to the other middle and lower level goals that we set to achieve the higher goal.
When we lack grit, this may be partly because the goals we have set at lower levels are not as consistent with our main interest. We may want to achieve something, but when push comes to shove, we pursue goals that are unrelated and that consequently take us away from our goal.
On the other hand, perseverance is the tendency to not give up easily on goals when setbacks occur along the way. It involves determination and willpower.
Talent is not as relevant as we think
In our culture, we tend to give too much importance to “innate” talent over effort, often assuming that, if we have little talent, this will not allow us to go very far. Duckworth, considers that overvaluing talent can be harmful since “we are conveying that other factors such as grit are not as important as they really are.” If we think about it, we can see that talent is not enough to explain achievements.
A person can have talent and still waste it, not show it, not use it. On the other hand, talent does not necessarily guarantee that a person has the passion and perseverance to finish what they start, that they can keep going when things get difficult. There are people who may think that the talent they have is enough and that it is more worthwhile not to make the effort to polish it and expand its limits. Furthermore, when we place too much emphasis on talent, we run the risk of exclude very early other people whose potential is also valuable
Duckworth points out that while talent is important, effort counts twice as much. However, when we see an athlete or any other person who performs with great excellence and we are amazed, we usually attribute it to that person having a natural and special gift. We do not usually see the sum of everyday actions; the training process, dedication, hours of effort, practice, experience and learning that have led to high performance.
Grit Development
Grit can develop Research has revealed four psychological qualities that people with grit have in common; interest, practice, purpose and hope.
1. Interest
It refers to working on what attracts and motivates us. Research has shown that people who have an occupation that matches their personal interests are generally happier with their lives, perform better, are more helpful to their colleagues, and keep their jobs longer.
However, Passion is not something that is discovered suddenly, without further ado, as we usually believe. It takes time and requires, in principle, exploring various interests with a relaxed and fun attitude, without exerting too much pressure, because it is a stage of discovery. Once we discover new interests, we need to actively stimulate, cultivate and develop them over time.
Duckworth explains that “feeling an interest in something requires time and energy, but also a certain discipline and sacrifice.” To develop our interests, it is necessary to work hard, study, practice and make an effort. You can have a passion, but if you don’t put in the effort, you won’t stand out or develop it. But it is also true that, if you are not passionate or interested in what you do, it will cost you much more to persevere in it.
In her research, Duckworth has also found that grit models, in addition to discovering something they like and developing that interest, learn to delve deeper into it. They have a lasting interest, in which they continue to find novelty in what they do, there is always something more to learn and know within their activity. They do not jump from one project or activity to a completely different one, without opting for anything in particular.
You may be interested: “Demotivation: what is it and what are its types?”
2. Practice
Studies show that people with the most grit are the ones who tend to persevere at something longer than the rest. They spend more time on a task and that time is of higher quality. They aspire to improve and progress from a positive state of mind, which is not based on dissatisfaction. Anders Ericsson, a cognitive psychologist, has long studied how experts in various professional fields acquire their exceptional skills, and he has found that it requires thousands and thousands of hours of deliberate practice over many years
This type of practice consists of setting an improvement or self-improvement objective that is clear and defined and that involves challenge. Then it requires absolute attention and great effort to try to achieve that goal. The practice must allow the person Get immediate feedback and information about your progress in order to concentrate on their weak points and overcome their level of skill.
Finally, repetition and improvement of the skill are required, without forgetting rest periods. When the goal is achieved, the pursuit of another goal begins again. It is important to turn deliberate practice into a habit, establishing the same time and place to practice daily.
3. Purpose
It is the intention that what we do contributes to the well-being of other people. Duckworth mentions that most people begin by being interested in something for pure pleasure, learn to practice it with discipline and then come to consider the meaning and purpose of what they do. In his studies he has found that, although pleasure has some importance in the lives of people with more grit, these They are much more motivated than others to pursue a meaningful life centered on others Both interest in something and the desire to connect with others are crucial for a passion to last.
Likewise, those people who see their work as a vocation, rather than as an occupation or career, have more grit and are more satisfied with their work and their lives in general. Some recommendations for cultivating a sense of purpose involve thinking about how our work can positively contribute to others and how we can modify it, even in small ways, to match our core values and be more meaningful.
4. Hope
It is confidence in one’s own ability and control to make things turn out better in the future, based on one’s own effort. This is the kind of hope of people with grit. It is not a hope, in which the responsibility for things to improve falls on external forces such as the universe, or luck.
It’s not about waiting for things to improve on their own. What leads to hopelessness is the suffering that we believe we cannot control. This is when we come to the conclusion that we can’t do anything to change our situation In his studies, Duckworth has found that grit models interpret adversity optimistically. They attribute temporary causes to adversities, rather than permanent causes, as is the case with pessimistic people.
He has also discovered in both studies with youth and adults that grit goes hand-in-hand with a growth mindset. According to Carol Dweck, a professor at Stanford University, people with this type of mindset believe that intelligence, talents, abilities, qualities, and personality can be developed and cultivated through effort and that growth can be achieved from discipline and experience. Therefore, they are people who tend to accept new challenges enjoy the learning process, persist in the face of obstacles, and achieve a high level of performance and achievement.
In summary…
People with grit are those who know what they want to achieve in their life, because they have set themselves the task of discovering, developing and deepening their interests. They have learned to persevere in the face of obstacles and they dedicate more quality time and deliberate practice to their interests, see meaning and purpose in their work (no matter what it is), and trust that through their own efforts things will improve.
