Unbroken: Chapter 5
Understanding Grit: The Warrior Within
Grit has become a buzzword in recent years, largely due to the work of psychologist Angela Duckworth. She defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” But what does that mean in everyday terms? How does this apply to us as we face the hurdles in our path?
To understand this concept more deeply, let’s step back and look at Duckworth’s research. She first came across the concept of grit while working as a math teacher. She noticed that intelligence wasn’t the only factor differentiating her successful students from those who struggled. What set the high achievers apart was their determination to keep trying, their unwavering commitment to improvement, and their absolute refusal to give up, no matter how challenging the problem. This was the birth of her interest in grit.
Duckworth carried this interest into her career as a psychologist, leading her to develop the Grit Scale, a tool to measure an individual’s level of grit. This scale, essentially a questionnaire, probes aspects like an individual’s tendency to maintain interest in and put effort toward their long-term goals, even in the face of adversity. It’s been used across various contexts—from schools to workplaces—and the findings are consistent: higher levels of grit predict greater success.
One of Duckworth’s most compelling studies involved cadets at West Point Military Academy. The rigorous selection process to enter West Point had always been considered a reliable predictor of who would make it through the initial summer training program, known as Beast Barracks. However, Duckworth found something different. Using the Grit Scale, she found that the grittiest cadets were the ones most likely to complete the Beast Barracks program. This held true regardless of the cadets’ physical strength, intelligence, or leadership abilities.
The message from this research is clear: Grit matters. It’s not just about how strong, smart, or talented you are. It’s about how committed you are to your goals and how unwavering you are in the face of adversity. It’s about the warrior spirit within that refuses to give up.
Practical Exercise: A good starting point to cultivating grit is by examining your own level of it. Try using Duckworth’s Grit Scale to gauge your grittiness. Reflect on your responses. Are there areas where you could show more perseverance or maintain a stronger interest in your long-term goals? Consider strategies to strengthen your grit in those areas. Remember, grit isn’t a fixed trait—it can be developed, honed, and strengthened.
Grit and Success: The Unbreakable Link
When we think of grit in relation to success, one name that often comes to mind is Thomas Edison. Edison’s life story serves as a powerful embodiment of grit. Known as one of the most prolific inventors in history, with 1,093 patents to his name, he is remembered as the creator of the first commercially viable electric light bulb. But his path to success wasn’t a straight one. It was marked by countless setbacks, hundreds of failed experiments, and continuous rejection from skeptics. Yet, Edison refused to surrender to these hurdles. His grit is captured perfectly in one of his famous quotes: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Edison’s unyielding persistence underscores the essence of grit: the tenacity to stay the course and persist despite adversity. But this isn’t just anecdotal. Research, too, substantiates the inextricable link between grit and success.
In a series of studies, Angela Duckworth found that grit was a potent predictor of achievement. For instance, her research involving Chicago public school students revealed that grit—more than intelligence, family income, or other personality traits—was the most reliable predictor of who would graduate. Gritty students, as it turned out, were more likely to make it to graduation day.
In a different study with Ivy League undergraduates, Duckworth found that those who were grittier outperformed their peers academically. These students had higher GPAs despite not having the highest SAT scores. In other words, despite having less natural talent (as assessed by standardized testing), the grittier students still achieved more.
These findings offer a radical insight into the nature of achievement. They suggest that success isn’t solely determined by intelligence, talent, or socio-economic advantages. Instead, grit—a trait that anyone can develop—can tip the scales towards success.
Practical Exercise: Reflect on a challenge you faced in the past where you demonstrated grit. What were the hurdles? How did you stay committed? What was the outcome? Now think of a current long-term goal. What challenges are you facing? How can you apply grit to overcome them? Use your past experiences of grit to inform your future ones, cultivating a cycle of learning and growth.
Cultivating Grit: Strategies for Everyday Life
Cultivating grit is about fostering both perseverance and passion. It involves building resilience, practicing patience, and keeping the flame of your passion burning. Here are some strategies to help cultivate grit in everyday life.
Practice Persistence: Embracing Discomfort and Boredom
Practicing persistence often calls for us to grapple with feelings of discomfort or boredom. It’s about realizing that the road to success isn’t always exhilarating or paved with endless highlights. Sometimes, it’s about consistently putting in the work, even when it feels mundane or strenuous. The adage “no pain, no gain” illustrates this concept aptly.
Consider the world of sports or music, where athletes and musicians must devote countless hours to honing their craft. Take Michael Jordan, for instance, widely acclaimed as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He wasn’t just born with extraordinary skills; he relentlessly worked on perfecting his technique. Jordan was notorious for being the first player to arrive at practice and the last one to leave, frequently pushing himself to his physical limits.
Similarly, world-class musicians aren’t made overnight. They spend hours daily practicing scales, learning pieces, and refining their technique. Renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, for example, practiced for four to five hours each day during his early years. The process, by his own admission, wasn’t always thrilling. But the dedication to continuous practice, even when monotonous, eventually led him to master the violin and become one of the most celebrated violinists of our time.
What Jordan and Perlman illustrate is the power of persistence in the face of discomfort and boredom. By consistently showing up and doing the work—regardless of how they felt—they were able to achieve a level of mastery in their respective fields.
This principle extends beyond just sports and music. Whether you’re learning a new language, trying to excel in your career, or working on a personal project, persistence is key. And science supports this. Research in cognitive psychology shows that regular and sustained practice can lead to the development of new neural pathways, facilitating learning and skill acquisition.
Practical Exercise: Identify an area in your life where you want to improve. This could be a skill you want to acquire or a project you’re working on. Now, commit to a regular practice schedule. Even if it’s just 15 minutes each day, the goal is to create consistency. Remember, it’s not about how much you do in one day, but about showing up every day. When you encounter boredom or discomfort, remind yourself that these feelings are part of the process—they are indicators of your growth and resilience. Over time, you will start to see improvements, and this progress will further fuel your persistence.
Embrace Challenges: The Growth Mindset Advantage
Embracing challenges involves shifting our perspective to see obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than mere hindrances. It’s about understanding that our struggles and difficulties are the very things that strengthen us and foster personal development.
Carol Dweck, a pioneering psychologist, has significantly contributed to this area through her work on mindsets. She differentiates between two types of mindsets: a ‘fixed mindset’ and a ‘growth mindset.’ Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are static and unchangeable. In contrast, those with a growth mindset believe that they can develop their abilities through dedication and hard work. This belief in the potential for growth is what makes them resilient in the face of adversity.
Dweck’s research has demonstrated that individuals with a growth mindset are more likely to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, and see effort as a path to mastery. For instance, when students with a growth mindset encounter a difficult problem, they tend to persevere and engage with the challenge, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
In contrast, students with a fixed mindset are more likely to give up or avoid the problem, believing that their struggle reflects an inherent lack of ability. The difference in their approach to challenges and their resilience in the face of setbacks can significantly impact their success and achievement in the long run.
Let’s consider the story of Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. Musk has faced numerous challenges throughout his career, from the multiple failures of SpaceX rockets to widespread skepticism about the viability of electric cars. Yet, he continues to embrace these challenges and persist in his efforts. In a 2013 interview, Musk stated, “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” His growth mindset has enabled him to turn setbacks into stepping stones towards innovation and success.
Practical Exercise: Reflect on a recent challenge or setback you’ve faced. How did you respond to it? Did you see it as an insurmountable obstacle or as an opportunity to grow? Now, try to shift your perspective. Identify what you learned from the experience and how it helped you grow. Remember, the key is not to avoid challenges but to embrace them with a growth mindset.
As we move forward, remember Dweck’s words: “In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses,’ you say, ‘Wow, here’s a chance to grow.'” Embrace challenges as opportunities to unleash your inner warrior and power through obstacles with grit.
Nurture Your Passion: The Fuel for Grit
While persistence is a key aspect of grit, it’s much more sustainable when fueled by passion. Angela Duckworth herself emphasizes the integral role of passion in her definition of grit: “Passion is a compass—that thing that takes you some time to build, tinker with, and finally get right, and that then guides you on your long and winding road to where, ultimately, you want to be.”
Passion brings a deep, intrinsic joy that makes the hours of practice or the grueling periods of persistence not only bearable but even enjoyable. It provides a sense of purpose and significance to what we do, making the journey towards our long-term goals more fulfilling.
Discovering and nurturing your passions, then, becomes an essential step towards cultivating grit. One way to do this is through exposure to various fields and activities. The more experiences you have, the higher the chances of finding something that truly ignites your passion.
Once you’ve discovered your passion, the next step is nurturing it. This involves dedicating time and effort to engage in the activities you love. It could be painting, writing, coding, teaching—anything that excites you and makes you lose track of time. Importantly, remember that nurturing your passion is a dynamic, ongoing process. It involves constant learning, curiosity, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
For example, consider the case of J.K. Rowling, the world-renowned author of the Harry Potter series. Rowling faced numerous rejections and hardships on her journey to publication, yet it was her passion for storytelling that fuelled her persistence. In a 2008 Harvard commencement speech, she said, “There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.” Despite the difficulties she faced, her passion for writing guided her journey, leading her to create one of the most beloved book series in the world.
Practical Exercise: Spend some time reflecting on what truly excites you. What activities make you lose track of time? What would you still do even if you were not paid for it? Once you’ve identified these passions, set aside regular time in your schedule to engage in these activities. Remember, your passion is your personal compass, guiding you towards your long-term goals.
As Steve Jobs famously said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Nurturing your passion not only enriches your life but also fuels your grit, empowering you to persist in the face of challenges and strive towards your goals.
Develop a Growth Mindset: The Springboard for Growth
The concept of a ‘growth mindset,’ first introduced by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, has become a fundamental element of grit. A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and resilience. It stands in contrast to a ‘fixed mindset,’ where people believe their abilities are innate and unchangeable.
A person with a growth mindset views challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement. They are not discouraged by setbacks or failures, but rather, see them as natural parts of the learning process. This mindset fosters a resilience that is central to grit.
For example, let’s consider Michael Jordan, regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan was famously cut from his high school varsity basketball team. Instead of viewing this as a sign of his lack of skill, he used it as motivation to practice even harder, eventually becoming an icon in the sport. As he once said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Practical Exercise: To foster a growth mindset, start by becoming more aware of your own thoughts and self-talk. Notice when you are falling into fixed mindset thinking patterns, such as “I’m just not good at this,” or “I’ll never be able to do it.” Challenge these thoughts with growth mindset responses, such as “I’m not good at this yet,” or “I can learn to do it with practice.”
Next, start embracing challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Instead of avoiding difficult tasks for fear of failure, take them on as learning opportunities. When you do encounter setbacks or failures, reflect on what you can learn from them and how you can improve, rather than letting them discourage you.
Recommended Reading: For more in-depth understanding and practical tips on developing a growth mindset, Carol Dweck’s book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” is an excellent resource.
In the words of Dweck herself, “In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow.” By fostering a growth mindset, we can cultivate the resilience and persistence at the heart of grit.
Practice Patience: The Building Blocks of Grit
The journey towards cultivating grit isn’t an overnight transformation; it requires patience, a virtue often overlooked in our fast-paced, instant-gratification world. Similar to a seed that requires time, proper nourishment, and care to grow into a sturdy tree, developing grit is a process that occurs gradually over time.
Consider the example of the Grand Canyon, one of the natural wonders of the world. It was carved over millions of years by the persistent action of the Colorado River, cutting through layers of rock. Similarly, grit is the product of constant, patient work on oneself, carving a resilient spirit out of daily struggles and challenges.
Patience is necessary when developing grit because it allows us to remain committed to our long-term goals, even when we don’t see immediate results. It helps us to persevere through the inevitable ups and downs of any worthwhile endeavor.
The development of patience also teaches us to tolerate frustration and delays without becoming agitated or upset – a valuable skill in the face of adversity. Furthermore, it imbues us with the ability to assess situations objectively and to plan our actions more thoughtfully, instead of seeking hasty solutions or quick fixes.
Practical Exercise: A helpful method for cultivating patience is mindfulness meditation. Regularly practicing mindfulness allows us to become more aware of our emotions and thoughts, which can help us manage impulsive reactions and be more patient with our progress. Another simple exercise is to deliberately place yourself in situations where patience is needed – like waiting in a long queue. Instead of becoming frustrated, take deep breaths, calm your mind, and embrace the wait.
Recommended Reading: If you’re interested in understanding the science of patience and how to cultivate it, “The Power of Patience” by M.J. Ryan provides insightful and practical advice.
In conclusion, as the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” By practicing patience, we can nurture our own nature and steadily build the resilience and persistence that embody grit.
In the end, the magic of grit lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. It’s the gritty individual who, despite setbacks, pushes forward, persists, and ultimately, prevails.