Book Review: “Grit” by Angela Duckworth
Great insight for business-minded individuals as well as parents
In a nutshell, the book contains profound advice, insight and tools for developing grit — a.k.a. sticking with something and becoming exceptional at it. Although, this gem is wrapped in a slow-moving text.
What do I mean?
It almost seems like the editor forced Angela to flesh out the manuscript purely for the purpose of producing a thicker book spine. The word count feels forced. And the (truly great) advice is like treasure that you have to dig up from amongst buckets of words. I would have enjoyed it much more if it were more concise and had better flow.
How is the book helpful?
Having said that, the advice contained within is priceless — especially for someone who, like me, has dipped their toes into many career paths and has had trouble focusing on a single métier.
The book gave me the tools and reason to pursue my chosen profession in writing, and explore it to its fullest capacity. In hindsight, I wish I could have read this book when I was much younger; it could have saved me years of turmoil and uncertainty.
The overarching idea of the book is that it is passion + perseverance — not intellect — that guarantees success and fulfilment in one’s chosen career.
The book also dispels the myth that falling in love with a career should be sudden and swift. Often, it starts with only an interest.
A few gems that spoke to me:
“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare”
“An expert has the accumulated knowledge and skill to see what, I, a beginner, cannot”
“Purpose — the intention to contribute to the well-being of others”
“Experts do it all over again, and again, and again. Until they have finally mastered what they set out to do. Until what was a struggle before is now fluent and flawless. Until conscious incompetence becomes unconscious competence”
Overall, Grit is very well researched and approaches the topic from all angles. I highly recommend it, although, if I were you, I’d look for a summarised version of it — if one exists.
P.S.
I think the book is a priceless tool for parents who want to raise their children to make a meaningful contribution to society. This isn’t clear from the book’s marketing perspective. However, in my opinion it has a well-earned place on a shelf among how-to-parent books.
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