Can Grit Be Learned?

The word grit may evoke images of professional athletes, soldiers and superheroes. But this word is for everyone. Grit is a mindset. Maybe you already have grit, or perhaps you want to learn the tools to develop it. Wherever you are, you can train yourself and set goals to establish a mindset of passion and perseverance — and ultimately become gritty.??

By Helen Harris

When you think of grit, is it an Olympian, sprinting into first place in the last 100 meters of her race? Or is it the rugged Army Ranger who graduates from one of the most challenging military schools in the world??

The mental picture of grit can mean many things to different people. But what is the baseline commonality that all of the different images of grit have in common??

What Is Grit??

“Grit is persevering in the face of difficulty,” said Kristin Sherry, YouMap creator and bestselling author of “Maximize 365: A Year of Actionable Tips to Transform Your Life.”

In her book “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” New York Times bestselling author and pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth defines grit as a special blend of passion and persistence.

Grit is attractive and captivating.

It is something we can all have, and maybe something we all need.?

“Whenever I use the term grit, I associate it with determination and perseverance,” said Christina Callaway, certified mindset and confidence coach. “An individual who is focused on a specific goal or task is going to be successful no matter what obstacle comes in front of them, and they are not going to let a challenge tear them off of their path. They may get detoured, but someone with grit is not going to give up easily and will find their success.”

Callaway compares navigating life without grit to driving without any map or directions. Life is filled with detours and rough terrain. She suggests having a plan and goal in mind will always get you back on track and keep you focused on your destination.??

“The mental aspect of grit is so vital for all of us; our brain controls everything,” said Callaway. “And if we're constantly feeding it negativity, we will not get to the goals that we desire.”

Research on Grit??

The words “determination” and “perseverance” sound nice, and we all aspire to have these traits. You may think this is nothing new.?

But scientific evidence shows that a powerful, gritty mindset helps people of all ages and intelligence levels succeed in life.?

The authors of “All That Glitters Is Not Grit: Three Studies of Grit in University Students,”? shared research that individuals of an equal or lesser IQ were consistently outperforming their “more intelligent” counterparts. The lower or average IQ individuals were achieving higher qualifications, obtaining more influential job roles and receiving a higher income. These findings triggered a deeper focus on non-cognitive traits and factors in predicting and measuring achievement and success.

Although non-cognitive traits such as perseverance, mindsets and goal-driven behaviors had previously been studied, Duckworth was the first to focus on the concept of grit. She divided it into two sub-components:?

1. Perseverance of effort and consistency of interest.?

2. The importance of fostering grit to enhance personal achievement and success.?

The research article states “Duckworth stresses the importance of stamina in grit, and describes a ‘gritty’ individual as somebody who treats their success and achievement as a marathon, rather than a sprint.”?

To put grit to the test, three studies were conducted. In study two, three groups of grit scores were developed:?

• A low grit score was identified as a score of between 1 and 35.
• An average grit score was identified as a score between 36 and 45.?
• A high grit score was identified as a score between 46 and 60.?

There were 340 total student participants in the study: 184 female students and 141 male students. Ages ranged from 18 to 21 for 153 participants, from 22 to 26 for 83 participants, from 27 to 30 for 28 participants, and 31 and older for 63 participants. The results showed that 76 students were low on grit, 183 students had an average score of grit, 73 students were high on grit and eight grit scores could not be analyzed as the data were incomplete.?

The study utilized the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, a 10-item resilience scale with responses scored from “not true at all” to “true nearly all the time.” Students also took a 20-item mindset quiz where they agreed or disagreed with statements including “your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can’t change very much” and “the harder you work at something, the better you will be at it.”?

The study found the age of participants and their current year of study were significant predictors of grit scores. So, students 31 and above are more likely to have higher grit than students in the 16 to 21 age range. And students in graduate programs are more likely to have a higher grit score than students still completing their undergraduate studies.

With research supporting why grit is so important to your mindset, the next step is to determine how to develop and nurture this characteristic.??

How To Develop Grit?

In her book, Duckworth points out three objectives:?

1. Grit comes into play when talent, income, IQ or other factors aren't enough. The combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals — even when things get challenging and after failure — is what fosters a growth mindset and winning habits.
2. Grit can be learned from the inside out. Duckworth states that when growing grit from the inside out, you should concentrate on four psychological assets: interest, practice, purpose and hope. For passion, figure out what you’re interested in. For practice, set a clearly defined goal and give it your full attention and effort. Seek feedback to improve weaknesses. Purpose is your intention to contribute to the well-being of others. Hope is your realization that failure is not forever and that you can rise above it and make a difference.?
3. Grit can be learned from the outside in. Duckworth outlines tips for parents, teachers, coaches and other members of a community who are influential in the upbringing of children and young adults in her book. To help children learn grit, she proposes the “Hard Thing Rule” for children to follow. This means that children should do something that requires daily, deliberate practice. A parent should allow their child to pick their daily "hard thing." A high schooler should stay at their task for at least two years. The parent should remind the child that they can quit — but only when they’ve finished what they started. This home environment teaches effort, discipline, growth, and learning.?

Sherry piggybacks off Duckworth’s tips by adding her own points for developing grit:?

1. Know yourself, your talents and your interests.?
2. Set clear goals based on your talents and interests.?
3. Get comfortable being uncomfortable; practice getting out of your comfort zone daily.?
4. Expect to fail; it’s a part of the process.
5. Have a support system. Ask questions and seek advice to save yourself from unnecessary failure.?

“If you don't have healthy mindsets, you're going to talk yourself out of whatever it is you're trying to do,” said Sherry. “And a good support system is critical to support you in reaching your goals. Sometimes you just need a sounding board or someone to support you emotionally and give you their trusted opinion.”?

Sherry mentions that failure is a natural part of the journey to success and that anyone should expect it — but to persevere through it. Being challenged and failing is what develops grit and leads to that long-term success you crave.?

?“If you don't go out of your comfort zone, there's nothing to have grit for because your goals are too easy and you aren’t going to reach your big goal,” said Sherry. “This is why knowing yourself, your talents and interests is so important. Because from there, you set your clear goals and are able to challenge yourself daily and eventually know if you’ve reached them.”?

You may be wondering that if grit is simply a blend of passion and perseverance and can be learned — then why doesn’t everyone have it??

“There are some people who may not have been exposed to anyone to teach them grit and the resources to teach them to overcome obstacles,” said Callaway. “However, it may be that they don't want to give up and they want to learn how to break through the obstacles.”

Callaway furthers that this takes that person having an exploratory mindset by asking questions and figuring out how to overcome challenges.??

“That person will eventually develop grit because they want to get better and want answers and are seeking help to get there,” said Callaway.

Top Takeaways?

Can Grit Be Learned?

• “Grit is persevering in the face of difficulty.”
• There is scientific evidence backing how a powerful, gritty mindset helps people of all ages and intelligence levels get ahead and succeed in life.?
• Grit comes into play when talent, income, IQ or other factors aren't enough.
• Grit can be learned from the inside out.
• Grit can be learned from the outside in.?
• “If you don't have healthy mindsets, you're going to talk yourself out of whatever it is you're trying to do. … a good support system is critical to support you in reaching your goals.”?
• “… knowing yourself, your talents and interests is so important. Because from there, you set your clear goals and are able to challenge yourself daily and eventually know if you’ve reached them.”?