Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Beyond Talent
What is Grit?
Angela Duckworth recently shook up the world of psychology with her TED Talk on grit, which has been viewed over a million times. Duckworth’s research explores the individual differences that contribute to performance and success beyond talent and IQ. Specifically: why do some people achieve more than others?
Her answer: Grit!
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, grit is defined as courage and strength of character in the face of a challenge. Duckworth redefines this concept as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” According to her and her colleagues, people with high levels of grit have the ability to handle failure in a way that allows them to learn from it and turn it into future success. They are also not afraid of defeat. Although commitment and perseverance toward their goals may make them vulnerable to failure, it’s also through perseverance that they achieve strong results. In other words: nothing ventured, nothing gained.
How Do You Develop Grit?
Duckworth draws on the work of Carol Dweck when talking about grit. Dweck studied people’s attitudes toward failure and described that what helps people bounce back more easily is if they adopt a “Growth Mindset.”
A Growth Mindset is the belief that we have the power to learn and improve. We rarely start at the top, but to persevere and achieve our goals, it’s essential to equip ourselves well. First, we need to make sure our goal is achievable—otherwise, our efforts won’t lead us to success. Then, we need to assess our resources and opportunities. We use the growth mindset to lead us through the challenges and setbacks as to not be discouraged along the way. As the saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Duckworth also proposes that grit could be a sixth personality trait.
According to the "Big Five" personality theory, there are five key traits: Openness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Agreeableness. Our personality reflects the dynamic interaction between our innate traits, our experiences, and our environment. One moment we may feel more agreeable, the next more neurotic—but overall, our personality remains fairly stable. Among the five traits, Conscientiousness is the one most closely associated with grit.
Is Being Conscientious and Tenacious Enough?
When conscientiousness is studied in the context of achieving goals and success, people stand out in two ways: by their dependability or by their tenacity (Hough, 1992). A conscientious person who shows greater tenacity is typically more success-driven. They work tirelessly, aim to do quality work, aren't afraid to step off the beaten path, and see tasks through to the end. In contrast, a more dependable conscientious person tends to be reserved and conventional.
So, when we look at conscientiousness alone, it becomes clear that demonstrating tenacity, whether through persistence or originality, is important for success. We shouldn’t give up—we should aim beyond just doing what's expected.
However, grit adds an important nuance. The big difference between someone who succeeds and someone who is merely tenacious (i.e., someone who puts in a lot of energy without necessarily achieving their goals) is this: our actions need to have a purpose, and that purpose should inspire us. Having a purpose provides a context and framework in which we can find meaning and value in our long-term efforts. This purpose helps us cultivate drive, stamina, passion, courage, and endurance.
Passion with Purpose
To be passionate is to have a strong inclination toward an activity we enjoy, find meaningful, and invest time and energy in. For an activity to become a passion, it must hold personal significance and value in our lives. Multiple studies have shown that engaging in an activity we’re passionate about allows us to evaluate it more positively (Deci, Eghrari, Patrick, & Leone, 1994), invest more time and energy into it (Emmons, 1999), and find more enjoyment in the task (Csikszentmihalyi, Rathunde, & Whalen, 1993).
The Pursuit of Excellence
Generally, people with grit don’t seek perfection, but rather excellence. What’s the difference?
Perfection is the perception of an ideal as defined by someone else—chasing it is like chasing a hallucination.
Sometimes, perfection is necessary to set performance standards, such as in sports (e.g., gymnastics). But more often, perfectionism is linked to anxiety disorders, low self-esteem, OCD, addiction, and clinical depression—all of which are obstacles to success.
Excellence, by contrast, is more empowering because it allows for failure. It’s a mindset that transforms failure into a stepping stone toward success. To cultivate grit, we need to stop giving in to society’s expectations and focus on our own definition of success. That way, our life goals become passionate pursuits, not feared failures, and we grow to value the journey just as much as the outcome.
References:
- Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House Incorporated.
- Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of personality and social psychology, 92, 1087.
- Perlis, M. M. (5). Characteristics of grit–How many do you have. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www. forbes. com/sites/margaretperlis/2013/10/29/5-characteristics-of-grit-what-it-is-why-you-need-it-and-do-you-have-it.
- Vallerand, R. J., Blanchard, C., Mageau, G. A., Koestner, R., Ratelle, C., Léonard, M., … & Marsolais, J. (2003). Les passions de l’ame: on obsessive and harmonious passion. Journal of personality and social psychology, 85, 756.
