Myths of Grit and Passion
"If “grit” – the desire to persevere when faced with a challenge, popularized by psychologist Angela Duckworth – has been the human trait du jour of the last fifteen-odd years, I suspect that “agency” – a belief in one’s ability to influence their circumstances – could be the defining trait of the next generation."
Nadia Asparouhova • Cultivating Agency
When psychologists describe grit, they often lean on University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth’s definition of the trait: “the intersection of passion and perseverance.”
Steven Kotler • The Art of Impossible
Kaustubh Sule added
.psychology
“I’ve come to call this heroic individualism: an ongoing game of one-upmanship, against both yourself and others, paired with the limiting belief that measurable achievement is the only arbiter of success. Even if you do a good job hiding it on the outside, with heroic individualism you chronically feel like you never quite reach the finish line th... See more
Brad Stulberg • The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul
sari added
The Problem: Heroic Individualism
Heroic individualism is an ongoing game of oneupmanship against both self and others, where measurable achievement is the main arbiter of success and self-worth, and where productivity often gets prioritized over people.
Heroic individualism is an ongoing game of oneupmanship against both self and others, where measurable achievement is the main arbiter of success and self-worth, and where productivity often gets prioritized over people.
Brad Stulberg • The Constant Restlessness You Feel Has a Name
Keely Adler added
So many millennials end up defining themselves exclusively by their ability to work hard, and succeed, and play it safe—instead of their actual personal tastes, or their willingness to take risks, or experiment and even fail.
Anne Helen Petersen • Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation
Heroic individualism is an ongoing game of oneupmanship against both self and others, where measurable achievement is the main arbiter of success and self-worth, and where productivity often gets prioritized over people.
Brad Stulberg • The Constant Restlessness You Feel Has a Name
Keely Adler added
Like Ahmed, she found that traits like curiosity were essential. But she found that they also needed high emotional resilience to pursue their interests in the face of external expectations. “Because we live in a society that tells us to specialise, and these are people who didn’t do that – they forged their own path.” Many people may lack the nece... See more
bbc • Why Some People Are Impossibly Talented
Supritha S added