Cultivating Mindsets: The Power of Grit
Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth has spent much time looking into predictors of success and how we can grow and nurture grit. Grit is the passion, perseverance and determination we hold when striving to achieve our goals. It is our ability to adhere to our long-term goals and to persist in achieving these goals despite challenges or barriers we may face along the way.
Duckworth explores the importance of developing grit in education. In her previous role as a teacher, Duckworth explored a motivational and psychological perspective on what defines success in the challenging environment of educational institutions. Duckworth observed that grit is in fact unrelated, or sometimes inversely related to talent. Grit however is visible in those who showcase a growth mindset and who persevere when encountering challenges. These students understand that failure is not a permanent fixture and they have the ability to learn and do better in the future. According to Duckworth, there are four steps that we can take to develop our grit:
- Develop a fascination- We need to begin by developing a fascination with the subjects and areas we have a keen interest in. If we are not fascinated by the goals in which we are hoping to achieve, we will unlikely remain motivated enough to achieve them.
- Daily Improvement- We must constantly challenge our previous efforts by competing with the progress that we made yesterday.
- Greater Purpose- As we focus on how our efforts can contribute positively to those around us, we see a greater worth and value in achieving our goals.
- Growth Mindset- When we believe our talents and abilities can grow through persistence and effort, we are more likely to achieve long-term goals and success.
