This coming week, students will be learning about the benefits of grit. Angela Lee Duckworth, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist, states the most impactful predictor of success in kids isn’t social intelligence, good looks, physical health or IQ. “It’s about having stamina, sticking with your future – day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years – and working really hard to make that future a reality.”
What makes us stronger in grit is how we respond to failures, setbacks and shortcomings. Here are a few examples of how others have shown grit:
- 5,127 – The number of failed vacuum prototypes created by James Dyson before he came out with the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner that made him a billionaire.
- $4 million – The number of dollars lost on GoPro inventor, Nick Woodman’s, failed first company.
- 30 – The number of rejections Stephen King received before his first novel, Carrie, was finally accepted by a publisher.
To have a sense of your own level of grit, feel free to take the grit scale test. To learn more about the importance of fostering grit in your child(ren) watch this Ted Talk.
We are interested to hear if you have noticed or heard your child(ren) talking about neuroplasticity, growth mindset, ‘growing our brains’, stretch zone and so forth. Please email Tracey Chitty to share your feedback.