1.4: Having Grit

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What is grit? According to the Merriam- Webster Dictionary, grit is “firmness of mind or spirit; unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.” If we have grit, we believe we can achieve our goals, even when we’re faced with negative situations. Dr. Angela Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania has researched this concept of grit with students, business leaders and all types of people (Preister, 2015).

Persevering with “Grit” by Angela Duckworth

Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success (Priester, 2015).

Please click the following link to watch Angela Lee Duckworth’s TED talk, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Duckworth The Power of Passion and Perservence TED Talk [www.ted.com]

As powerful as the concept of grit is, there are some limitations. If a person is in an unhealthy environment surrounded by only negative role models and doesn’t see or have any positive influences, grit may not be enough to inspire that person. We do need to see some evidence that our efforts can move us forward, and that there can be a way to leave a negative environment or situation. For this reason, we need to have an internal locus of control and a growth mindset to believe in our abilities to achieve greater goals, and then we draw upon our grit to enable us to do the hard work necessary to move forward.

After watching the videos about fixed/growth mindset and grit, please do some self-examination. Where is your mindset now on the fixed-growth continuum? Do you have grit? Please reflect on how you can apply a “growth mindset” and “grit” to your career and life-planning journey.