Some of you have heard about grit. It’s what I study.
I think all people are ambitious. I used to think it was just a few people. I now think it is everyone. I think everyone wants to be good and if they had the choice, they would be excellent.
What is grit? I’m going to give you four questions that I use after interviewing high performers. I call it the grit scale.
“I am a hard worker.”
“I finish whatever I begin.” It’s my favorite question on the grit scale. These 2 questions are about perseverance.
“I have difficulty maintaining my focus on projects that last more than a few months.”
“My interests change from year to year.” These items get to passion. Its a reverse question. If you say that’s not me, you get a higher score.
Grit scores and age – grit goes up with age – the maturity principle – with age and wisdom, qualities like grit go up.
Grit can change because of culture or experience. We can build grit and it starts today.
My favorite psychologist is Will Smith. “The only thing that is distinctly different about me is that I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill….I won’t be outworked. You may be smarter, sexier than me. If we get on a treadmill, one of two things are going to happen: you’re getting off first or I’m going to die.”
“The truly eminent have ability combined with zeal and with capacity for hard work.” – Sir Francis Galton, cousin to Charles Darwin
“I have always maintained that…men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work.” – Charles Darwin
Grit is sustained passion and perseverance for especially long-term goals. It is the hallmark of high achievers that I have studied in every domain.
Are some more talented or gifted? Yes. There are differences. But talent is nothing if you don’t apply yourself.
Talent x effort = Skill
Skill x effort = Achievement
Of course, talent counts. But effort counts twice.
Anders Ericcson, cognitive psychologist, you need practice, deliberate practice. After thousands and thousands and thousands of hours, you might stand the chance of being a world-class expert.
You can get better but stop after a while. I call it the plateu of arrested development.
There is a third way, the drop out. You start but then you quit.
What is deliberate practice?
1. Set a stretch goal
World-class experts come to work everyday to get better.
2. Focus 100%
Work with coach/mentor to do it just a bit better.
3. Get feedback.
How do you take feedback? Do you love it?
4. Reflect and refine.
Repeat the process over and over again.
Spelling Bee – Carrie Close. Three things boys and girls recorded in journals.
Leisure for pleasure – effortless & enjoyable
Being quizzed – mild effort & less enjoyable
Deliberate practice (done alone, working on missed words) – most effortful, least enjoyable way that they prepared
We added up hours spent doing these three things and grit score to find what would happen.
Grit –> Deliberate practice –> Spelling performance
Went to West Point. Administered grit scale on day 2 of first year of training.
Did same thing in sales, Chicago Public Schools and Special Forces the same thing. They were more likely to make it through.
Grit & Life Satisfaction – in general, grit & happiness go hand in hand.
How do you build grit?
Develop your interests before training your weaknesses.
Interests are essential to development of grit. Interests are the seed of passion.
I always ask, “Do you love what you do?”
Interest develops earliest.
Know the science of deliberate practice.
Work hard at it. Commit to working on one small thing with 100% focus, getting feedback.
Reflect, refine, repeat.
Can I do a little more delibrate practice?
Cultivate purpose
“In choosing what to do, I always take into account whether it will benefit other people”
“My life has lasting meaning.”
Service is about seeing beyond you.
There is no correlation between pleasure and perseverance. Purpose plays key role
Growth mindset
Change your
Carol Dweck, professor at Stanford
This applies at every age.
“AT ELEVEN, I WANTED TO BAG IT BECAUSE I WAS DOING VERY BADLY… MY DAD AT THAT POINT DID SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. HE SAID, ‘IF YOU WANT TO QUIT, THAT’S FINE. BUT I DON’T WANT YOU TO QUIT SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU’RE LOSING… SO, I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE YOU TO WORKOUTS AND FORCE YOU TO SWIM AND ONCE YOU TURN 12 AND ARE AT THE TOP OF YOUR AGE GROUP, YOU’LL START TO DO WELL. IF YOU WANT TO QUIT THEN, THAT’S FINE.”
