{"id":39447,"date":"2024-11-12T17:54:25","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T01:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=39447"},"modified":"2024-11-12T17:54:25","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T01:54:25","slug":"effort-over-ease-lessons-in-trick-shots-grit-and-true-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/effort-over-ease-lessons-in-trick-shots-grit-and-true-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Effort Over Ease: Lessons in Trick Shots, Grit, and True Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a world where social media glorifies instant success and extraordinary talent, the YouTube group Dude Perfect exemplifies how perseverance and consistent effort are the foundation of their remarkable achievements. \"\"<\/a>Known for their fantastic trick shots, they easily achieve the impossible, captivating millions with their seemingly effortless displays of talent. However, behind the scenes lies the truth: each amazing shot often requires an average of 100 attempts before perfection is achieved.[1]<\/span> This discrepancy highlights a core principle in Angela Duckworth\u2019s groundbreaking book, “Grit,”[2]<\/span> which asserts that unwavering passion and relentless effort are the true keys to success. This post will explore how talent, effort, grit, and the American cultural milieu of rugged individualism help us create a map for success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Detriment of Talent<\/b><\/p>\n

Ductwork highlights a significant bias in our culture concerning talent. As a middle school math teacher, she first recognized this bias when she observed that having talent in math did not necessarily lead to success in math class. She acknowledged being overly focused on talent when predicting who would excel in her classroom. She claims this preoccupation with talent can be detrimental because it causes us to miss other vital factors that help us achieve, especially one that is at least as crucial: effort.[3]<\/span> Contending that talent alone falls short of explaining why people achieve success, she spent significant time working out a theory of the psychology of achievement. Key to this theory are two equations[4]:<\/span><\/p>\n

Talent x Effort = Skill<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Skill x Effort = <\/b>Achievement<\/b><\/p>\n

Duckworth\u2019s theory suggests that talent combined with effort is essential for developing skills. However, having skill alone does not guarantee success; one must actively apply that skill to achieve success. I have recently taken up a new hobby: archery. This idea is evident when I reflect on my experience with archery. Learning to draw a bow and release an arrow requires talent and effort, which together develop skill. I must apply sustained effort to refine and utilize my skills to become a successful archer who consistently hits the bullseye.\u00a0 According to Duckworth, \u201cEffort counts twice\u201d and is the factor that turns talent into success. Individuals who possess grit have passion and perseverance, which are essential for sustained effort.\u00a0 As Duckworth argues, this combination significantly outweighs raw talent when achieving success.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the Outside In<\/b><\/p>\n

If grit is a key ingredient for achieving success, a natural question arises: can we increase our level of grit? Duckworth presents two main ways to develop grit, which she elaborates on throughout her book but summarizes in the conclusion. You can cultivate grit from the inside out and from the outside in.[5]<\/span>\u00a0 She briefly summarizes the external factors, \u201cParents, coaches, teachers, bosses, mentors, friends \u2013 developing your personal grit depends critically on other people.\u201d[6]<\/span>\u00a0 Elsewhere, she<\/span> argues that our culture profoundly influences every aspect of our being. \u201cWhether we realize it or not, the culture in which we live, and with which we identify, powerfully shapes just about every aspect of our being.\u201d<\/span>[7] It seems that our social connections and our culture critically affect the development of grit.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do We Have the Capacity for It?<\/b><\/p>\n

For individuals in the United States who are influenced by the cultural framework of Rugged Individualism\u2014an ethos that values self-reliance and emphasizes that personal success mainly comes from individual effort\u2014the development of grit may be significantly affected. While Rugged Individualism can encourage resilience and dedication to sustained effort, it also poses risks of isolation and excessive pressure to achieve success independently.\u00a0 This cultural framework developed over time through philosophy[8]<\/span> and geography.\u00a0 In his 1893 thesis, \u201cThe Significance of the Frontier in American History,\u201d[9]<\/span> historian Frederick Jackson Turner argued that the settlement of the American frontier was essential in shaping American culture. Although he did not specifically use the term “rugged individualism,” he suggested that the frontier required individuals who embodied this characteristic. Turner noted that the early European settlers transformed into rugged individuals as they adapted to the challenges of the wilderness. He wrote, \u201cThe wilderness masters the colonist… He must accept the conditions it furnishes or perish.\u201d[10]<\/span> This transformation led to a distinctly American identity, emphasizing the unique cultural traits emerging from the rugged environment.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The residual characteristics of the earlier frontier spirit found in <\/span>rugged Individualism emphasize individual effort, self-reliance, and perseverance. It would seem <\/span>the American culture is predisposed towards grit. As Duckworth claims, \u201cThe bottom line on culture and grit is: If you want to be grittier, find a gritty culture and join it.\u201d[11]<\/span>\u00a0 However, considering the widespread fascination with overnight success, the perpetual reach for the \u201cEasy Button,\u201d and the recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [12] concerning the widespread human languishing because of a loneliness and isolation epidemic<\/span>, it raises a critical question about the true nature of grit in modern society: Can we genuinely foster grit in an environment that often glorifies quick wins and individual achievement, while simultaneously neglecting the vital role of community and support in our personal and collective journeys?<\/span><\/p>\n

If space permitted, I would examine Duckworth’s application of Dr. Carol Dweck’s “Growth Mindset”[13] and its significance in cultivating and showcasing grit.<\/p>\n

________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

[1] Garrett Hilbert and Cody Jones, Brock O\u2019Hurn, Studio 22 Podcast, July 23, 2022, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AOUk-1aKkQ4&ab_channel=Studio22Podcast.<\/span><\/p>\n

[2] Angela Duckworth, <\/span>Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance<\/span><\/i>, (New York: Scribner, 2016).<\/span><\/p>\n

[3] Ibid.,34.<\/p>\n

[4] Ibid.<\/span>,<\/span><\/i> 42.<\/span><\/p>\n

[5] Ibid.<\/span>,<\/span><\/i> 269.<\/span><\/p>\n

[6] Ibid.<\/span>,<\/span><\/i> 269.<\/span><\/p>\n

[7] Ibid.<\/span>,<\/span><\/i> 244.<\/span><\/p>\n

[8] Although dead for over a century, Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century German philosopher, is still a prominent voice in the discussions of human flourishing and rugged individualism.\u00a0 His emphasis on personal autonomy, self-mastery, and pursuing one’s unique potential aligns with rugged individualism.\u00a0 This is explored in the following journal article: https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/41484422.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[9] Frederick Jackson Turner, \u201cThe Significance of the Frontier in American History.\u201d https:\/\/www.historians.org\/about-aha-and-membership\/aha-history-and-archives\/historical-archives\/the-significance-of-the-frontier-in-american-history-(1893).<\/span><\/p>\n

[10] Frederick Jackson Turner, \u201cThe Significance of the Frontier in American History.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

[11] \u00a0Angela Duckworth, <\/span>Grit,<\/span><\/i>245.<\/span><\/p>\n

[12] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Surgeon General, <\/span>Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General\u2019s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community,<\/span><\/i> (Washington, DC: HHS, 2023), https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf.<\/span><\/p>\n

[13] Carol Dweck, <\/span>Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential<\/span><\/i>, (London: Robinson, 2017).<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a world where social media glorifies instant success and extraordinary talent, the YouTube group Dude Perfect exemplifies how perseverance and consistent effort are the foundation of their remarkable achievements. Known for their fantastic trick shots, they easily achieve the impossible, captivating millions with their seemingly effortless displays of talent. However, behind the scenes lies […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3360],"class_list":["post-39447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-duckworth-dlpg03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39447"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39467,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39447\/revisions\/39467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}