Book Summary - Grit

Completed listening to “Grit - Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success " by Angela Duckworth. The book provides several references from the author's own journey, field of academics, sports and military training.?As I reflect on the book, I’ve captured the salient points below:?

Talent, measured by the rate of skill improvement, is undeniably significant. However, effort is a dual factor in the equation. Firstly, effort directly contributes to the development of skills. Secondly, effort enhances the productivity of those skills. Therefore, consistent and sustained effort over an extended period is paramount.

The author proposes the establishment of a Goal hierarchy.

• Grit is characterized by the sustained pursuit of a single, overarching goal over an extended period of time. In individuals with high levels of grit, most intermediate and subordinate goals are connected to this ultimate objective in some manner. Conversely, a lack of grit can be attributed to less coherent goal structures.
• When prioritizing goals, it is essential to consider the extent to which they serve a common purpose. The greater the degree to which they are part of the same goal hierarchy, the more focused one's passion will be, as they all contribute to the same ultimate concern.
• Abandoning lower-level goals is not only permissible but sometimes necessary. It is prudent to abandon a lower-level goal when it can be replaced by a more feasible alternative.

Grit possess four distinct psychological assets:

• Interest: Interests are not discovered through introspection but are triggered by interactions with the external environment. The initial discovery of an interest is followed by a protracted and increasingly proactive phase of interest development.
• Practice: Experts engage in distinctive practice patterns. Contrary to most individuals, experts accumulate thousands of hours of what is called "deliberate practice." (Refer book titled Peak by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool for delibrate practice)
• Purpose: In Duckworth's words purpose denotes "the intention to contribute to the well-being of others." Most gritty individuals perceive their ultimate goals as profoundly intertwined with the world beyond themselves.
• Hope: The hope possessed by gritty individuals is unrelated to luck but is entirely associated with their ability to persevere. When individuals persistently seek ways to improve their circumstances, they enhance their chances of success. Conversely, when individuals cease their search, assuming that solutions are unattainable, they ensure their failure.

If you are pressed for time, please watch this TED Talk on Grit by Angela.