Grit, New Music Tech, and Playing the Banjo

Greg Cerveny
Aug 23, 2017 · 1 min read

I finished listening to Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance last month. The thing from this book that I think about most is her Hard Thing rule.

In her family, everyone does something hard. A Hard Thing is something that takes practice and you work at regularly, often with help of a coach. You’re also not allowed to give up till you’ve fulfilled your end of the bargain.

I apply this two ways.

1. I Build New Music Technology

This is my career. I do it every day. It requires practice and effort to learn new technologies. New music tech experiments fail and lessons are hard won. I get up the next day and do it all over again.

2. I Play the Banjo

Playing an instrument is hard. It takes regular practice and the help of an experienced player. Every session I sign up for a new set of classes and I practice most days in between.

It’s Not About a Result

It’s about doing something hard.

And every time I do something hard, bigger things get a little easier.

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