The main quality of successful people
Motivation Books / / December 19, 2019
Angela Lee Duckworth (Angela Lee Duckworth)
Professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of its own Research Center, study the characteristics of the human personality and character. Grit author of the book: The Power of Passion and Perseverance ( «strength of character. The power of passion and perseverance ")
The book "strength of character" Angela Duckworth went to study the strength of character, hard work and perseverance. Duckworth several years studying how these qualities help to achieve much better results than talent, which, in its opinion, may remain a thing in itself, if it is not backed up by constant practice and everyday work.
People have always admired the talent, as it were in advance assuming that everything else is unimportant. The man who discovered his talent, often believes that this is sufficient for success in life. But this is not the case. At the heart of every success is a constant and persistent practice, Heavy daily work.
In childhood and adolescence Duckworth often I heard from my father that she was not a genius. However, the same is said and other family members: father took a very intellectual abilities of households, he was disappointed, and they, and even their own. Overseas Chinese in the first generation, he worked hard and long before the chemist to get the firm "Dupont". A sense of duty and Confucian ethics are the reason that the first thing he was working for the family, without worrying about their own vocation.
Duckworth believes that the words "you're not a genius," the father said to myself first of all. Even when Angela won the special award of the MacArthur Foundation, the so-called genius grant for his opinion has not changed, even though he was proud of his daughter.
But by the time Angela was agreed with the father she did not consider herself ingenious fellow psychologists. Grant went to her for quite different qualities: for the perseverance, hard work and love for his work. These qualities are often overlooked, delighting in what is no personal merit: congenital mental or physical abilities, referred to as talent.
Angela Duckworth writes about perseverance, perseverance, talent and vocation, directly related to success in life. Here are some of the conclusions she came ...
1. Your potential is not as important as the ability to dispose of them
Everyone likes talented people, regardless of their potential is realized or not. This phenomenon is called natural preference data. Such is the magic of talent. It has a hypnotic appeal, seems to be something magical, he favored employers in the selection of a candidate, even if others differ diligence, persistence and perseverance.
Duckworth research colleagues, psychologist Chia-Jung Tsai (Chia-Jung Tsay), have shown that if you want to appreciate the skill of a talented person and a hardworking person, the choice will be in favor of the former.
As a first experiment Chia offered a group of people to fill in questionnaires, which among other things had to be noted that they value most: hard work and natural talent. Then they were given a listen to recorded music. In one case, he said that he played a gifted musician, the other - a lot and work hard on yourself. As a result, the most points scored "talented artist", and yet the subjects listened to the same record and was a musician, respectively, one and the same.
Is there enough talent alone to achieve success? Often gifted people who are accustomed from childhood to expend less effort than normal guys do not have the skill to overcome the obstacles, not to temper the character of the fight against intractable material. The time given to them all easily, until they reach that boundary beyond which only one gifted is not enough.
Duckworth tells how she went from a prestigious firm of McKinsey, specially selects talented young people with innovative thinking to make predictions and provide practical recommendations largest firms. She was sure that most of these recommendations are superficial and far from the reality of the company and simply thrown out a lot of money by ordering them from the "corporate geniuses» McKinsey.
After working in two schools in New York and San Francisco, a teacher of mathematics, Duckworth noticed a pattern: the students with mathematical talent, which at first lessons received excellent marks completely and strongly stood out against the less gifted classmates, worsened by the end of the school year, or remained the same level. Those students who are the subject was given a hard time, who spent a lot of energy on the assimilation of unyielding material, gradually caught up with the talents, and soon overtook them.
Talent - this potential, but potential alone is not enough.
Duckworth studied achieve cadets of the Military Academy at West Point, where provided for beginners especially difficult test, requiring the exertion of all forces. Many well-exams, passed psychological tests and showed excellent physical preparation. However, the decisive test was just that, after that screens half. Were the only ones who did not give up, showed strength of character and will to strain used.
Angela Duckworth employers place consciously chose to thrust workers, without succumbing to the charm of talent and untapped potential. Meanwhile, according to the author, most often the opposite is true.
2. Talent is detected as a result of hard work
Like many other young psychologists, Duckworth wondered why some people are more successful than others.
Getting acquainted with the research of the past years, she found in the library of the work of Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, dedicated to outstanding achievements in various fields, from sports to poetry. Galton collected biographies of celebrities and claimed that all these people had a talent in conjunction with the "exceptional zeal" and willingness to work up a sweat. Darwin, having familiarized with the work of his brother, he wrote that the point of the talent he was surprised.
Except for a complete fool, I believed the famous scholar, everyone more or less equal in intelligence and only differ in persistence and ability to work. Darwin did not consider myself particularly talented and often emphasized that his hard work and love for the natural sciences were much more important than his mind and ability to scientific observations.
It is this love for his work, which calls Duckworth passion causes a person to develop their talents by means of hard work.
Man as a biological being, distinguished by love of pleasure and the desire to give meaning to their existence. Favorite work allows you to combine these two aspirations: work becomes a pleasure when makes sense.
Duckworth does not diminish the importance of talent does not deny its importance, but does not consider it paramount. People discovered his vocation, must find strength and time to constantly improve in it.
3. If you have not found their calling, stubbornly try yourself in different spheres
By studying the profiles of athletes, musicians, artists, Duckworth said, that is not always the way these people to a favorite cause was right. Many of them have tried in various fields.
Some athletes, swimmers, first in the long jump, running for short and long distances, even engaged in boxing. In swimming they did not come immediately, but only finding that other sports do not deliver them the satisfaction.
There is another way: a person from childhood to something pulls it at every opportunity trying to return to a favorite occupation, practiced in it and in the end either successfully combined with other areas in which excelled or completely goes him.
Duckworth gives several examples. Her colleague, psychologist Chia-Jung Tsai, who conducted a study on the perception of talented people, teaching in University College London, has academic degrees in the history of science, social psychology and music. In addition, she often performs with piano concerto and solo. Cai believes herself that she could, and had some musical talent, but the main thing is that she was very fond of music and tried from childhood to practice every day for several hours. She wanted to play better and better, and it is often represented applauding audience and on stage. It gave force. Cai is now successfully combines all their talents, to energize the practice and hard work.
Duckworth recommended to try a variety of lessons. This will help to develop the habit of work, you will have new skills that will not be lost in vain. When you finally find your true calling, you will come to it mature, strong and would be happy to give him all the strength and skills.
4. Engaged in favorite business, constantly improve skills through hard work
That's what Angela Duckworth understands the development of talent. In the example, it leads a 92-year old well-known potter McKenzie Warren (Warren MacKenzie). In his youth, he and his wife, the artist tried his hand at painting, drawing, modeling clothes, jewelry, ceramics has not yet taken a great interest. It is here that the pair wanted to achieve real success, fired clay has become a true passion.
The first clay pots were primitive, their production took a long time, but the couple did not stop the effort. Gradually, the product is getting better, and the time they spent less and less. Talent, multiplied by the effort given skill. Over time, pots and other ceramic products have gained popularity, steel demand. About young ceramists talking. So the ability, combined with the effort led them to success.
Washington Irving, a classic of American literature, a child read very slowly, because of what the teacher thought he was lazy and narrow-minded. Classmates were read some text in an hour, Irving wanted it twice as long. But he's been training, having learned from childhood that he had to overextend yourself to do something good. Gradually multiple exercises and repetition become second nature to him. Already being a writer, he is a long time and carefully reread the written rules and their texts as long as not to bring to perfection. He spent more time re-reading and editing, than the story itself. So drawback - slow reading - turned into an advantage, which has helped Irving to become a writer of world renown.
Angela Duckworth advises anyone who wants to be successful, must constantly practice, to train, to work. First, improve skills, will increase productivity. Then, inevitably followed by success.
5. Put long-term goal and go for it with all the passion and tenacity
This goal could be a new world record, or recital, or establishment in some new capacity. First, the person has an interest in some kind of employment. If it is internally enjoys what does this begins with passion.
Many persistent people interviewed Duckworth, said that they were not always able to completely surrender to his favorite occupation, had to put up with a couple-three cases uninteresting, but necessary. But they did not forget about his passion about what they like to do.
Next - practice. Duckworth advises to focus on the elimination of deficiencies and continue to get better as long as there was a real skill. "I will improve in your favorite business, whatever it may cost me" - the motto of all the stubborn people. Such work Duckworth calls deliberate practice.
To get the most out of deliberate practice, Duckworth advises to turn it into a habit.
When a person seeks mastery, he has to put in front of a high long-term goal. Interest without a goal can not be stored for a long time. The triple Olympic champion swimmer Rowdy Gaines (Rowdy Gaines), which leads to Duckworth example, in each workout "wanted to beat himself," to beat your previous record and swam every day for a split second faster. From such small victories and great achievements are born. Higher purpose, among other things, there is a consciousness of what a person does really important.
Duckworth says the well-known parable of the masons who were asked what they were doing. One said: "I put the bricks," another "building a cathedral", and the third, "I am building a house of God." First Duckworth describes as an ordinary worker without ambition, the second - as a climber, and the third - as a human with high-end and calling.
To succeed Duckworth advises to put a higher purpose, that each step brings you closer to it. All the tenacity and strength of character should be focused on its achievement, and failure should not be confused.
6. Do not stop halfway and do not be afraid to fail
Many people who do not have sufficient strength of character and perseverance, have a tendency to retreat at the first failure. For really stubborn person any failure - this is a challenge, any challenge - the ability to overcome it.
As an example, Duckworth leading actor Will Smith, who took part in her study. Smith did not consider themselves smarter, more talented or sexier others - all of this in Hollywood excess. But one thing as he was ready to compete with anyone: Will argued that it is not afraid to die on a treadmill, keeping in mind their readiness to work to exhaustion. He was not afraid of failure - it's part of life. In his work ethic is the principle under any circumstances not to abandon the effort.
The road to success - it's a marathon, and have long run.
How people perceive the persistent failure? As the results of research Duckworth, these stubborn treat them with optimism. In response to the question "What was your biggest disappointment? 'Successful and creative people, regardless of gender Occupation, answered almost the same: "Yes, there were occasional setbacks, but do not think they have much disappointed. It's certainly not very pleasant, but I learned my lesson and I will continue to work. "
concluding comments
It would seem, Angela Duckworth tells about obvious things, but shows them in a different, unusual perspective. Tenacity and perseverance of literary cliches she became an object of scientific study.
We often work hard, but do not even think about the purpose of their work, about whether spending time in vain. On the other hand, someone has a dream - to write a book, to become an artist, to reach the summit, and so on - but he did not even think about specific daily efforts, which will become the stepping stones to achieving the goal, and remains a dreamer all my life, even if he has a calling and talent.
Duckworth teaches how to use the labor force their talent to serve the favorite business, to eventually achieve the deserved success.
In the book, there is no magic recipe for success, it is extremely concrete. On some talented dreamer it may act as a bucket of cold water, but it's only benefit.
In this case, the book will not open new horizons to those who know well from my own experience that one's talent does not go far.
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