Yet somehow Ernie was able to climb as high as any of us. His secret? Grit.
Angela Lee Duckworth defines grit has having "passion and endurance for very long goals". You can see her video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8
Part of grit is delaying gratification. Several decades ago a Stanford psychologist Walter Mischel created the “Marshmallow Test” in which four-year-olds were offered one marshmallow now, or two in 15 minutes. All of the children wanted to wait, but only a few could. The ones that could wait were better at delayed gratification. When researchers followed up with these children in high school. They performed better across just about every measurement.
The kids that were able to hold out used the same tactic to achieve their goal, distracting themselves from the marshmallow. They were able to trade doing one thing (eating the marshmallow) for something of more value (waiting). It’s easy to see how this can translate to success later on. Trading one thing (going to the movies) for something that will deliver more value in the long term (doing homework).
In the age of digital distraction, our children’s ability to resist temptations such as texting, Snapchat, Tumbler and the like, in favor of school work cannot be understated.
Yet grit goes beyond just self-control. A key element of grit is the power of “yet”. If children are faced with a problem they can’t solve, there are two mind-sets that come into play. Some will believe they are not smart enough to solve it and that’s that. While some believe they just haven’t solved it yet.
Researcher Carol Dweck examines the “growth mindset” in her video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU
Her concept of “not yet” versus those that believe they had failed and were gripped in the “tyranny of now” relates to Mischel’s study on kids ability to delay gratification, to understand that the results of the future will come from current effort.
All of this begs the question, how do we help our children acquire grit? Dweck recommends a specific type of praise. She believes that praising intelligence or talent is not the best. “You’re so smart”, places the child in the present and if they fail at a challenge they may believe their intelligence let them down and they are stuck.
While praising the work, and the process will create kids who can see past setbacks.
Winston Churchill once said. "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense." It's hard to imagine children with this kind of conviction that don't succeed.
For more resources on grit see:
How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
Does Teaching Kids to Be Gritty Help... on NPR
And for a counterpoint, read 10 Concerns About Grit
Winston Churchill once said. "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense." It's hard to imagine children with this kind of conviction that don't succeed.
For more resources on grit see:
How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
Does Teaching Kids to Be Gritty Help... on NPR
And for a counterpoint, read 10 Concerns About Grit
