GRIT Book Review PDF

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GRIT Book Review Brandon Walker Brigham Young University - Idaho

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GRIT Book Review Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance has the potential to change the life of anyone fortunate enough to read it. Over the course of this book, the author shares her story of seeking achievement in life and the principles she discovers on this path that are capable of unlocking human potential. During her life, Duckworth tried multiple careers trying to figure out where she belongs. In doing this, she stumbled across something she calls grit. Throughout the book, grit is introduced, defined, studied, and applied in ways that readers discover right alongside Duckworth, what kind of impact this four-letter word can actually make in their lives. A major theme throughout this book is simply stated in Duckworth’s own words. She said, “Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another (Duckworth, 2016, p. 14).” She is proposing that hard work and effort are in many ways more important than natural talent and in fact, she explains that oftentimes what we see as natural talent is actually the result of many years of hard work and effort. This ability to use “passion and perseverance” to reach longterm goals is what grit is all about (Duckworth, 2016, p.269). Grit is something that may come more naturally to some but certainly can be learned and practiced by all. The book ends with the explanation that grit is not the only valuable principle out there but is one that certainly can carry you towards your life-long goals if taken seriously. As I traveled along this path with Angela Duckworth, I picked up a few ideas that apply to my own life. At one point in the book, Duckworth quotes Psychologist William James as saying, “The human individual lives usually far within his limits; he possesses powers of various sorts which he habitually fails to use. He energizes below his maximum, and he behaves below his optimum” (Duckworth, 2016, p.23). This opened my eyes to the possibility that maybe I have

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something more to give; maybe I am limiting myself by not searching for or recognizing what lies within me. She adds to this idea of a limited perspective by admitting to the readers she had “been distracted by talent” (Duckworth, 2016, p.17). I feel similarly because many of my ideas are shot down by bullets labeled “I am not talented enough” or “I couldn’t do that, they are naturally good at it and I am not.” The author later says something that hit me in the chest. She said, “Time and energy are limited. Any successful person has to decide what to do in part by deciding what not to do” (Duckworth, 2016, p.67). I realized I had no vision of what I wanted to do. If I don’t know where I want to end up, how will I ever get there? By recognizing these thoughts and applying the principles of this book, I realized I can break the dam and let my ideas and dreams flow; realizing that through passion and perseverance I can achieve them.

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Reference Duckworth, A. (2017). Grit: The power of passion and perseverance. New York, NY: Scribner....