Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.
Is it about just being able to learn more quickly and easily. Grit can be summed up by the words, passion and perseverance. It is the journey that determines success. It is about having a Growth Mindset. One of the best books I have found on this subject is The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.. Author Daniel Coyle identifies the three key elements that will allow you to develop your gifts and optimize your performance in sports, art, music, math, or just about anything.
From the Book:
- Deep Practice–Everyone knows that practice is a key to success. What everyone doesn’t know is that specific kinds of practice can increase skill up to ten times faster than conventional practice.
- Ignition–We all need a little motivation to get started. But what separates truly high achievers from the rest of the pack? A higher level of commitment—call it passion—born out of our deepest unconscious desires and triggered by certain primal cues. Understanding how these signals work can help you ignite passion and catalyze skill development.
- Master Coaching: The author discuss four areas needed: 1) Task-specific knowledge of the teacher, 2) Perceptiveness – how to perceive students individually, 3) The GPS Reflex – the just-in-time informative directives, 4) Theatrical Honesty which is the ability to connect with students.
A quick introduction to Grit or having a Growth Mindset by Angela: