The Power of Perseverance
Sep 08, 2024
Do you ever wonder, what's an objective indicator of success? And why are some people more successful than others?
Every Tuesday evening, I host a weekly call to which my clients are invited. And a few weeks ago, I shared these questions.
My inspiration was Angela Duckworth and, specifically, a 2013 interview hosted by NPR's Guy Raz (1). Duckworth is a professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She's the author of Grit, the Power of Passion and Perseverance and delivered a TEDTalk in 2013 with the same title that has garnered over 33 million views. She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.
Duckworth and her team conducted research at West Point Military Academy to find out: which cadets stay in training and which drop out of the academy? They also evaluated new teachers in difficult neighborhoods to ascertain: who will stay and who will leave by year end? And they worked in partnership with private companies to understand: which sales people will keep their jobs? Who will earn the most money?
And the fundamental question Duckworth was trying to answer was: Who is successful here and why? What contributes to individuals being successful?
Duckworth explained, "In all those very different contexts, one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success and it wasn't social intelligence, it wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit." (1)
She describes grit as the quality individuals possess that drive them to pursue long term goals with passion and perseverance. She characterizes grit as having "a stamina quality." (1)
It is sticking with things over the long term. She explained, "Grit is living life like a marathon, not a sprint." (1)
When asked how one can develop the habit of grit, she surmised that a growth mindset is essential to the concept of grit.
This makes sense. Having a growth mindset means you are open to possibilities. You are willing to persevere and do what it takes to achieve your goals. In contrast, a fixed mindset is constraining.
You can watch Angela Duckworth's TED Talk here:
FOOTNOTES:
(1) NPR Station: TED Radio Hour. Guy Raz, Host with Angela Duckworth. Is Having Grit Key to Success? November 1, 2013. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/240779578. Accessed on August 27, 2024.
Stephanie HesslerĀ is a High Performance Coach. She helps high-achieving corporate leaders and business owners who want to rapidly advance their careers and create a vision others want to follow, but have hit a roadblock.Ā Therefore, Stephanie guides her clients through a transformational coaching journey called the BLISS Accelerator to turn their goals and dreams into reality. Previously, she worked in the investment business, including on Wall Street, for sixteen years. She earned her MBA at The Wharton School and her BA at Wellesley College.Ā
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