Understanding ‘Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance’ with Angela Duckworth
Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
The main idea of Angela Duckworth’s bestselling book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” is that grit — defined as a combination of two aforementioned traits — plays a crucial role in achieving long-term goals. Duckworth argues that maintaining focus and consistency over time can distinguish world-class achievers from others, often outweighing innate talent and intelligence.
“Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out,” says Duckworth, a New York Times bestselling author, MacArthur Fellow, TedTalk speaker and pioneering voice on the subject. “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
In this 1:42 clip, Duckworth explores sisu, a Finnish concept that embodies inner fortitude, and discusses how CEOs can challenge themselves to foster a culture of grit.
In developing grit, Duckworth identifies three essential elements for success:
- Hyper-intentionality
- 100% focus
- Immediate and informative feedback
She emphasizes that the last element, immediate and informative feedback, is crucial for developing grit. This feedback closes the learning loop and enhances skill improvement, making coaching a vital part of the process.
Duckworth recalls a conversation with NFL head coach Pete Carroll, in which he expressed his belief that “nobody can reach their full potential without a coach.” She concludes with this powerful statement: “Who among us has done what we could do without the wisdom, without the support, without the emotional ballast of our mentors, of our coaches, and yes, our peers?”
For more insights, she explores this topic further in a 45-second clip.
In addition to building grit within your organization, Duckworth emphasizes searching for and finding it through your hiring process. To do so, she says, look for two outlying traits while evaluating résumés: multi-year commitments and a clear record of progression.
“It often comes out in athletics, it often comes out in music, but the general pattern is what it is,” Duckworth says, “Somebody has stuck with something and gotten somewhere.”
In this 1:49 clip, Duckworth explains how to build this framework for grit into your hiring process.
Be sure to watch the full discussion with Duckworth (member login required) to learn how to be a grittier and more successful person at home, in the office and as a leader.
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About the Author: Anne Petrik
As Vice President of Research for Vistage, Anne Petrik is instrumental in the creation of original thought leadership designed to inform the decision-making of CEOs of small and midsize businesses. These perspectives — shared through repo
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