by Kaitlyn Chow
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Note: An example of showing grit through rock climbing. Reprinted from New Harbinger Publications, by C. Baruch-Feldman, 2017, from https://www.newharbinger.com/blog/what-grit-and-why-it-important. |
What is Grit?
Grit, as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is “firmness of mind or spirit” or “unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger” [2]. In other words, grit is a quality that induces passion and perseverance in a person; it is a characteristic often found in “successful” people.
According to Psychology Today, there are two types of grit: grit derived from a specific passion and grit derived from perseverance over obstacles [4]. While the term “grit” may seem similar to characteristics such as “hardworking,” “persevering,” and “resilient,” grit was first introduced by psychologist Angela Duckworth as being passionate about something over a long time period. This means not giving up and continuing to persevere for an ultimate long-term goal (e.g. have a Ph.D. in twelve years or become the CEO of a successful business).
Why is Grit Important?
In Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, she discusses the myriad studies she has performed over the years. Within her studies, she observed the grittiness of students, athletes, and cadets, among many others. Each person completed a test based on the “Grit Scale,” which ultimately determines how gritty a person is based on a scale of one through five. Based on the data collected, Duckworth concluded that success is not based on intelligence, leadership skills, or other qualities; instead, she concluded that people with the highest grit scores were the most successful, whether that be in a rigorous military training program or the Scripps National Spelling Bee [3].
So, why is grit so important? Since Duckworth's observations suggest one's IQ is not directly related to success, but to grit, she and her colleagues thus believe that grit can help people, especially students, reach their goals amidst adversities. In one of Duckworth’s later studies, she observed student success across a spectrum of learning environments (e.g. charter schools, public schools, prep schools, etc.) [3]. Duckworth’s observations revealed that minority or low-income students did not have lower college graduation rates, as one would expect. Instead, she observed how students with higher grit scores were able to graduate and how grit was the major factor that impacted their success.
Thus, grit is essentially the key to success; it allows one to pursue what is important to him or her.
Can Grit Be Learned?
Although there is not much evidence supporting the idea that grit can be developed or “learned,” research suggests that every person can develop or increase their grit one way or another. Everyone is born with a certain amount of grit, but the actions that are taken (especially during childhood) can greatly impact how gritty a person is [4].
Research suggests that being curious and finding one’s passion are factors that can greatly increase one’s grittiness. Finding one’s passion is essentially the most important factor in increasing his or her grittiness because passion in a certain area will greatly influence his or her efforts and perseverance. Additionally, surrounding oneself with other gritty people can also play a role in one’s grittiness [4].
Sources
Baruch-Feldman, C. (2017). What is grit, and why is it important? [Image]. New Harbinger Publications. https://www.newharbinger.com/blog/what-grit-and-wh
y-it-important
Grit. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.c
om/dictionary/grit
Hanford, E. (n.d.). Angela Duckworth and the research on 'Grit'. Retrieved
February 16, 2021, from http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/featu
res/tomorrows-college/grit/angela-duckworth-grit.html
Psychology Today. (n.d.). Grit. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from https://www.p
sychologytoday.com/us/basics/grit