In her recent book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, she makes a convincing argument that it takes much more than talent. You also need to have grit.
But what is grit?
Angela explains that “grit” is comprised of passion and perseverance.
Passion is what makes your goal fascinating and meaningful for you. It has two elements, which are deep interest and a sense of purpose.
- The first element is intense “interest.” Your attention is completely captivated by your goal. There may be aspects of your work that you don’t enjoy, but overall the activity should excite you. Passion begins with enjoying what you do.
- The second element of passion is a sense of “purpose” or meaning. You have a strong sense that what you are doing could benefit other people. It is a feeling of connection to the service of other people.
Perseverance is the drive to keep moving toward your goal. It also has two elements, which are daily practice, and hope or resilience.
- The first element is that of “daily practice” or consistency. Without discipline and effort, initial talent will never develop into something fruitful. Every day you work to get better than you were the day before. You are constantly moving forward and progressing.
- The second element of perseverance is “hope or resilience.” This is the feeling that you can and will overcome all adversity, setbacks, and failures. It is the feeling that your goals are within reach.
Angela Duckworth has found that people with these characteristics reach their goals more often than people who do not.
You can learn more about Angela Duckworth at her website or by listening to her TED talk.