Robin SmithHave you ever heard of TED Talks?
TED Talks began in 1984 at a conference where "Technology, Entertainment and Design converged." These short presentations have gained prominence with the ease of digital access and portability. Today's TED Talks feature industry and thought leaders from a wide variety of topics. Granted, you'll not find many on the political right offering their thoughts and secrets of success, but, if one is grounded in your ideals and beliefs, there truly are topics for most everyone.
One of my favorite TED Talks features Dr. Angela Duckworth, a researcher whose studies peel back humanity in all its diversity to seek common traits found in individuals - students, athletes, business leaders, soldiers, etc. - as they relate to their success. In just six minutes, her talk gives an overview of decades of research by this teacher-turned-behavioral scientist.
Dr. Duckworth boils her findings down to a simple truth that is replicated: One trait is "a better indicator of personal success than IQ, family income and other factors" when predicting outcomes or, specifically, who succeeds.
Whether in the seventh-grade classroom in which she taught or at the United States Military Academy at West Point with top student performers, Duckworth asked the simple question, "Who's successful and why?" Her varied experiences and contexts were repeatedly distilled to show that "one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. It wasn't social intelligence; it wasn't good looks, physical health; and it wasn't IQ. It was grit."
Grit is passion and perseverance that coexist in the pursuit of long-term goals. "Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future - day-in, day-out," Duckworth said in her cyber-teaching. "Grit is living life like it's a marathon and not a sprint." The assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania notes that "grit is usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent."
As the Harvard-educated young professional degreed in neurobiology, neuroscience and psychology elaborates, teaching grit and reinforcing a work ethic coupled with motivation are quite difficult. Her conclusion is based on Stanford University data and an approach that learning is not fixed. That learning can change "with your effort."
Think through these few paragraphs to see how we fail our children and our own growth. Today, most everything is geared toward short-term goal achievement to feed the reward-performance cycle. If you do well, or at least try, you get a reward. Where are we teaching long-term goals and a sense of planning and aspiration that transcends the immediacy of some reward or an easy exit strategy?
Where are we as a culture praising those who stick with it, even through failure, versus trophies for all for the purpose of self-esteem and the addiction of winning? Do we allow our children to fail or do we orchestrate situations that offer favorable outcomes in the age of "helicopter" parenting?
UT football coach Butch Jones has often stated, "Too many parents are busy preparing the path for the kid and not the kid for the path."
Finally, do we teach our children their efforts determine an outcome? Or are we absent parents or parents who serve as anchors and not the wind in the sails of our children by scrambling to deal with their last-minute assignments?
I know. There are many exceptions to children with learning disabilities, disorders, etc. But, why not praise the marathoners who learn and are committed throughout life, not just those who grab, go and run the sprint?
Oh, yeah, parents. Grit is first modeled at home.
Robin Smith, a former chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party, owns Rivers Edge Alliance.