Book Review: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance is a compelling exploration of what it takes to achieve success. Duckworth, a psychologist and former teacher, argues that talent alone isn’t the defining factor of achievement. Instead, it’s the combination of passion and sustained effort over time—what she calls “grit”—that truly makes the difference.

Eustress and Grit

The themes of Grit align closely with the concept of eustress, or positive stress. Eustress is the type of stress that motivates and energizes individuals, pushing them to grow and perform at their best. Duckworth’s discussions on effort, perseverance, and passion can be seen as a guide to harnessing eustress effectively.

How Grit Relates to Eustress

• The Role of Challenges: Duckworth emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges as opportunities for growth. This mirrors the nature of eustress, where manageable stressors drive motivation and achievement. For instance, a gritty individual views a difficult project or a tight deadline as a chance to prove themselves and improve, rather than as an insurmountable obstacle.
• Building Resilience: Resilience, a key component of grit, involves recovering from setbacks and continuing to strive toward a goal. Eustressful situations often test an individual’s resilience by providing enough pressure to push limits without causing overwhelm. Duckworth’s work highlights how consistent exposure to eustress can build the resilience needed to cultivate grit.
• Long-Term Goals and Flow: Grit involves sustained effort toward long-term goals, which often requires individuals to maintain focus in eustressful states. For example, training for a marathon or preparing for a major presentation can be both eustressful and gritty endeavors, where the challenge itself fuels passion and progress.

Key Takeaways

• Effort Counts Twice: Duckworth introduces a simple formula: Talent × Effort = Skill, and Skill × Effort = Achievement. Eustress plays a pivotal role here, as it provides the energy and motivation needed to apply effort consistently over time.
• Passion as a Driving Force: Passion is a central theme in Grit. Duckworth explains that deep interest in a subject or activity sustains long-term commitment. Eustress contributes by creating an energizing environment that keeps passion alive, even during tough times.
• The Importance of Deliberate Practice: Deliberate practice, which involves setting goals, seeking feedback, and working on weaknesses, thrives under eustress. The sense of manageable challenge and progress aligns with eustress’s ability to promote focus and growth.

Critique and Reflection

While Grit provides a strong case for the power of perseverance, some critics argue that it underplays the role of systemic barriers and privileges that can impact success. However, the book is still an invaluable resource for individuals looking to build resilience and motivation in their personal and professional lives.

For those interested in eustress, Grit offers practical insights into how positive stress can be leveraged to achieve goals. The book serves as a roadmap for transforming pressure into purpose, making it an excellent resource for readers seeking to understand and harness eustress in their own journeys.