Summary

Success is achieved through a mindset characterized by grit, which encompasses passion, perseverance, a growth mindset, and deliberate practice.

Abstract

The article titled "The Mindset for Success" emphasizes that success is not determined by IQ or background but by one's mindset and attitude. It introduces the concept of grit, defined by psychologist Angela Duckworth as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. The article outlines two key components of grit: a growth mindset, as described by psychologist Carol Dweck, which is the belief in the ability to improve through learning; and deliberate practice, a term coined by psychologist Anders Ericsson, which involves focused practice with the goal of improvement. The article suggests that anyone can develop grit by engaging in activities they enjoy, taking immediate action, and making progress visible. It concludes by affirming that while grit does not guarantee success, it significantly increases the likelihood of achieving it.

Opinions

Angela Duckworth posits that grit, not IQ or background, is the key determinant of success.
Carol Dweck's concept of a growth mindset is crucial for developing grit, as it encourages continuous learning and skill development.
Anders Ericsson's research on deliberate practice highlights the importance of focused, goal-oriented practice rather than just accumulating hours.
The article suggests that personal interest fuels motivation and is essential for sustaining the effort required to achieve long-term goals.
Immediate action is advocated as a means to overcome procrastination and make consistent progress towards one's goals.
Making progress visible, such as tracking the time spent on an activity, is recommended to maintain motivation and perseverance.
The author believes that while grit is not a foolproof method for success, it is a significant contributing factor.

The Mindset for Success

Your thought shaped your actions.

What will determine if you will be successful? There is nothing to do with your IQ or background; it is your attitude.

Grit is what you need.

According to a professor of psychology — Angela Duckworth, grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

What Made One Grittier?

There are two essential elements in grit — growth mindset and deliberate practice.

Growth Mindset

Psychologist Carol Dweck comes up with “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset”.

People with a growth mindset believe that they can constantly improve themselves through learning. Growth mindsets are more willing to stretch themselves to learn the new skill and knowledge required to improve.

Ditch the fixed mindset — the belief that one’s ability is fixed — and adopt the growth mindset to cultivate grit within oneself.

Deliberate Practice

Grit paragons will grab every chance to improve, and deliberate practice is their secret to consistent improvement.

Psychologist Anders Ericsson coined deliberate practice, which refers to effortful practice with an improvement goal in mind. Unlike the 10,000 hours rule made popular by the famous writer Malcolm Gladwell, deliberate practice does not have a magical number of 10,000 hours.

Instead, one would need to pay attention to improving one’s skills to become an expert in the chosen field.

Duckworth mentioned her conversation with Ericsson on deliberate practice in her book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”. Duckworth asked Ericsson why she hasn’t become an expert in running after spending considerable time running?

The answer, according to Ericsson, is that Duckworth ran those miles without having a mind for improvement.

In other words, she has just run as she did previously.

Growing Grit From Within

The good news is that everyone can learn to be grittier. You (and everybody else) can grow grit by doing these:

Do What You Like

Duckworth posited that interest is one of the psychological assets to grow grit. “Do what you like” sounds simple, yet, it could be a formidable challenge for many.

Most of us have the problem of “not knowing what we like”. Thus, interest seems to be another abstract concept for us.

One of the promising ways to find what interests you, ironically, is to take as many trials as you need. Not sure if you will like that Spanish class? Start with watching free videos that teach simple Spanish on the Internet before committing to lengthy and costly lessons.

“What we like” motivates us to continue putting effort into the things we do. Without interest, we simply lose the most powerful intrinsic motivation.

Do It Now

“Just Do It” is more than a slogan — it’s the secret to success.

Elon Musk didn’t just talk about his rocket dream; he made them. Mother Teresa didn’t just pray to God to help poor people; she helped them.

“Do it now” means taking the necessary actions without procrastinating to get closer to your goals, and yes, actions speak louder than words.

When you act, you get feedback along the way. Positive feedback motivates you to move further, while negative feedback reminds you to make a turn. Either way, feedbacks are essential for improvement.

Make It Visible

Grit is something abstract as we can’t measure passion and perseverance. But we could measure how long we spent on an activity, and this information will provide a sense of progression.

I make passion and perseverance visible by measuring how long I participate in an activity. For example, I would mark the calendar when I complete the reading challenge.

Each mark on the days showed how long I persevered, making me feel like I was in control of my life. This simple method helps me persevere and become grittier because I want to collect more small wins.

Conclusion

We all want success, yet, success eludes us when we lack the quality of grit. Fortunately, we still can be successful by changing our mindsets and becoming proactive in practising our skills.

To become grittier, we have to find our passion and kill procrastination. Next, measure the improvement and collect “small wins” for motivation.

Becoming grittier does not guarantee success, but it certainly brings us closer to the pinnacle than those who didn’t.