The Problem With A Students

You may have heard the saying that A students in school work for the C and D students in the world. It turns out that in a lot of ways that is true.

Angela Duckworth, the author of "Grit" tells us that just because people learn quickly and easily, that doesn't mean they will use that ability in the real world to excel. When things come easy to a person, they may not learn how to persist and work through their struggles. They may not develop "Grit."

West Point, the Marines, troubled high schools. even sales organizations, all have tried to figure out who will make it and who will not. School scores and grades, IQ tests, personality tests and more have not been helpful. It turns out the missing link is the "Grit" Quotient, not their Intelligence Quotient.

A students can develop a sense of deserving and if things don't go their way they can feel life is unfair. On the other hand, students that have had to fight for every grade point, letter grade and grade level often develop a "Grit," a stick to it ness that keeps them on the job long after others have quit.

When they asked Isaac Newton how he came up with his amazing insights and ideas, thinking he would say he had a method or some magical system, even that he had powers that others didn't have, he said, "I think about these things an awful lot." Newton stuck to the problem long after others said, "let's get a bite to eat and try again Monday."

Newton even missed meals, almost starving himself when working on the physical and mathematical problems he was obsessed with.

It turns out that "Grit" is a better factor to use when predicting success than any other single factor we currently have. The good news is "Grit" is largely a decision.

"Grit" is deciding to stay with something no matter what and see it through.

​"Grit" is deciding that the status quo is not acceptable and doing what it takes to change it.

"Grit" is keeping the reward in front of you, the prize before your eyes.

"Grit" is knowing the alternative is worse than the effort needed to change.

"Grit" is realizing we are only here a little while and making that little while count.

The funny thing about "Grit" is if you don't have it, you can get it from yourself.

From within.

best and be blest,
Scott Hogue CChH