G Is For... Grit

Grit

Angela Duckworth On Grit: In The Long Run, This Is The Trait That Counts

Intelligence, talent or status can't guarantee you this skill - and it could very well be the one that matters the most

Some words don't give their meaning justice. And some are just off-putting. "Grit" is one of these words.

It sounds harsh, mechanical, heartless; a "pull-yourself-together-and get-on-with-it" type word. It isn't particularly reassuring, uplifting or inspiring. And it can feel grating on the ears if offered as a suggestion when you are faced by what feels like an impossible task ahead of you.

But grit isn't about testosterone-fuelled chest-pounding. You don't have to be Tarzan to have it.

And you certainly don't have to be Tony Robbins to use it.

Grit can be gentle, it can be slow, it can be plodding. The people who have grit are simply the ones who can marry their dedication to a wish or a task or a cause with a drive and commitment to carry it out (at whatever pace).

Watch what Angela Duckworth Has to Say Here:

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You can still be a loner, the shy one, a dreamer, the basket case in the corner - and have this trait.

Conversely, you can have the world's highest IQ, a god-given talent and come from a blessed background and not have it.

It is the domain of (and can be learnt by) anyone who is willing to stick at it hell or highwater and, vitally, who is also able to adopt a "Growth Mindset", which is being able to admit that you can improve - always.

And, as Angela Duckworth points out in her TED talk, it is these kinds of people who win in the end - in all walks of life.

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