The Virtue of Hard Things

“The Virtue of Hard Things” is a title taken from a recent Wall Street Journal review of the book Grit, by Angela Duckworth (May 4, 2016).  Duckworth is a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania and has spent the past decade studying why some people have extraordinary success and others do not.  In brief, Duckworth’s research suggests that grit (read: tenacity, perseverance, consistency over time) is a better predictor of success than one’s innate ability.

Evidence for her conclusion is provided in empirical research and in the stories of individuals, foremost among them being author John Irving and retired NFL quarterback, Steve Young.  Irving has severe dyslexia, was a C- English student in high school, and had miserable SAT verbal scores.  Yet, “…what he lacked in aptitude he made up for in effort.”  If his peers studied a subject for an hour a day, Irving studied the same subject for three hours.  He writes very slowly, deliberately, and constantly revises drafts.  In short, he’s gritty.  Hall-of-Fame quarterback Steve Young wanted to quit football at Brigham Young University after his freshman year.  When he told his father about his plans, his dad responded, “You can quit… .  But you can’t come home because I’m not going to live with a quitter.”  Today Young admits, “[i]t was tough, but [Dad] was loving.”  Young went on to become the best quarterback in college and in the NFL.

I have the privilege of regularly experiencing this phenomenon on the campus of the University of Dubuque.  There are always exceptions to every rule, but we have learned that entrance exams are generally limited predictors of a student’s ability to have a successful college experience. 

In fact, the Academic Testing Service has documented that 80% of college bound students are not prepared to have a successful four-year experience.  Entrance exams don’t measure grit, nor are they able to account for a student’s background; that is, the stability of their life at home, the quality of their school district, or the other non-tangible influences. [bctt tweet=”College entrance exams don’t measure grit, nor are they able to account for a student’s background” via=”no”]

Students who have the desire to “commit to the program,” however; who make it a point to attend all classes, talk with their professors after class, take advantage of our academic success center, and study more than they play are nearly always successful.  Grit is a better predictor of success than innate ability. [bctt tweet=”Grit is a better predictor of success than innate ability.” via=”no”]

That lesson was brought home to me as I shook the hand of one of our recent graduates when she received her diploma.  Life got in the way for this middle-aged mom with two teenage children.  Alone and raising two children, she elected to continue with her education.  After her workday was completed and her children were fed, she attended night classes and completed her degree.  With degree in hand, she is now eligible for a promotion and a salary increase.  As she walked across the stage in front of 3500 guests, I could see her hands trembling and tears streaming down her cheeks.  “You did it!” I said.  “We’re all proud of you!”

Later that week, I ran into our new alum in the parking lot.  “What are you doing here?” I said.  “I thought you had graduated.”

“I have, and I’m turning in the final piece of coursework.”

“Well, don’t be a stranger,” I said.  “We want to keep up with what’s happening in your life.”

“I won’t be,” she said.  “I’ll soon be enrolling in the Masters program.”

That’s grit.  And that’s the kind of employee for which every employer is looking.