The Key To Success: Everyone Has It

       In the YouTube video "The Key to Success, Grit: Ted Talk by Angela Lee Duckworth," Angela Lee Duckworth, a Psychologist, studies kids and adults in a variety of challenging settings. Duckworth had one major question in all of her studies "Who is successful here? Why?" Angela Lee Duckworth and her research team discovered that it was not social intelligence, good looks, or IQ that made people successful in the challenging settings. It was Grit.

       Grit is courage and resolve; strength of character. Grit is passion to start something, and continue doing it until it's done the way you want it, and you are satisfied with where you are, just like a marathon. Duckworth explains that just because you have a higher IQ, doesn't mean that you are going to get better marks than other people. Just like if someone is running a marathon, and they are in first place right now, doesn't mean they are going to win the whole race. You have to keep putting in the work and keep trying your hardest at all times. Nothing comes without hard, gut-wrenching work.


       I agree with Angela Lee Duckworth. I believe kids and adults need grit to accomplish what they want too. Without grit, you won't accomplish what you want, because if you don't have grit and somebody tells you that you are wrong or that they don't like what you have done and how you have done it, you will give up. Grit is the strength to keep going despite have being told you were wrong. Kanye West, a famous and successful rapper, singer, songwriter, music-producer, director and fashion designer said in an interview in 2010 " ... You cannot learn from a compliment." I believe this quote is extremely true because without criticism and being told you are wrong sometimes, you will not learn from your mistake. Don't be afraid to be wrong, because the people that have failed the most, have also succeeded the most. People need to learn from their mistakes, and also to learn to never give up. I also believe that these kids that have the talent to do great in school but don't, have grit, but not for school. Everyone has different interests, and have grit for different things. You can't say a kid doesn't have grit because he/she doesn't get good marks in school. They have lost interest in school because they haven't been inspired and motivated. Having a teacher that is passionate about teaching a certain subject, and that cares about their students, not just their marks, will motivate these kids.  Inspire the kids, motivate them and the results in the classroom will be amazing. Everyone has a different idea of success, so I believe it is unfair to say that a person does not have grit for something that another person does. Success isn't always about good marks at school, or money. It can be about anything. If you are happy with what you are doing, you are successful. Jim Carrey delivered a commencement speech at Maharishi University of Management earlier this year, and he said one quote that I have adored ever since I first heard it. He said, " You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." What's beautiful about grit, is that it can make your dreams come true. It will not always be easy. Not everyone is going to agree with you. You might fail sometimes, but if you are passionate enough and you never quit, you have the potential to do anything.

Everyone has the potential to do everything.