Hello and welcome to Right Bus Life Coaching channel.
Today's big personal development question is all about predicting the likelihood of
success in a person's life. So, here it goes.
Which is more likely to get you far in life? Is it your talent and IQ or is it your effort?
I'll be back after the opening titles and, in the meantime, are you on the right bus?
Hello and welcome back. So, here we are talking all matters life coaching.
My name is Mervin Straughan, creator of the Three Journeys Life Coaching System, and I'm
also the author of the self-help guide 'Imagine Life As Three Bus Journeys.'
I'd like you to cast your mind back to when you were at school. Go back to those school
assemblies and the leaver presentations, in particular.
What was it that the headteacher or guest speaker spoke about?
From my own experience and also of friends and colleagues, there were some common themes.
There was the theme of character, then, there was teamwork, the opportunity to make a difference.
Another common theme was the opportunity to make long-lasting friendships.
However, in most of the presentations, the big take-away message was that you get out
of life what you put into it.
And you know what, that was really good advice because life is unlikely to be a permanent
bed of roses. We need to be able to adapt and develop confidence to rise to the various
challenges that life will throw at us.
Success is unlikely to come to us at the first attempt.
It was Thomas Edison, the pioneer of the first commercially available incandescent electric
lightbulb who said every unsuccessful attempt simply took him closer to success.
And he added that many people gave up when they didn't know just how close to success
they were.
So, the big question is: how is it that some people are able to carry on and succeed in
the face of immense adversity while others fall by the wayside when they encounter their
first hurdles?
Well, it's all down to an amalgam of ambition, determination, passion, persistence and resilience.
As well as keeping a close eye on the long game.
This is what we call 'grit' and it's one of the best indicators of the likelihood of success
in life, according to Angela Duckworth, the US psychologist and author of the best-seller
'Grit: the Power of Passion and Perseverance.'
It was while teaching seventh-grade maths that she analysed the grit of her pupils and
established that it determined their success or failure in school, work and relationships.
An although some pupils didn't have high IQs, they had the grit to persevere over the long
term regardless of family income challenges or school environment.
Many more talented children were unable to achieve success later in life because they
lacked the staying power.
Duckworth also discusses her findings in a TED Talk which, at the time of making this
video, had already attracted more than 20 million views.
It's definitely worth checking out.
Duckworth says that parents and teachers often ask her how they can cultivate grit in their
children. While she admits to not having all the answers, she does believe firmly that
developing a growth mindset can play a huge part.
The 'fixed mindset versus growth mindset' theory emerged from research carried out by
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck and her colleagues who were keen to explore students'
attitudes towards learning, intelligence and failure.
Dweck and her colleagues wanted to understand why some students were derailed and devastated
by even small setbacks whereas others were able to bounce back stronger and with greater
confidence.
She identified those with a fixed mindset and those with a growth mindset.
People with fixed mindsets believe only intelligence and talent will make them succeed rather than
effort. For them, intelligence and talent are fixed traits that don't change so they
won't work to improve them.
Growth mindset individuals believe that intelligence and learning can be developed and improved
over time and through experience.
They're more likely to learn from their mistakes and know that they can do something about
the situation.
These growth mindset learners are more likely to rise to challenges. They recognise that
effort has a huge impact on their success so they'll devote the time needed.
So, it's clear that resilience is a core component of grit. People who are resilient are more
likely to view setbacks as opportunities to grow and they're more likely to be open to
new experiences. And the research also tells us that they're more emotionally stable. And
they're also adept at helping to make others feel good in themselves.
Now, resilience has clear physical and psychological benefits. That's because it's a powerful ingredient
in countering stress.
And, so, in summary: just as we use grit – or more commonly these days, rock salt – to
melt away the ice to clear our winter roads or the grit of the sandpaper we use to smooth
down an object, we can call on our own inner attrition powers to grind down whatever life
throws at us.
Well, that's all for this latest video. Do remember to subscribe so we continue to provide
meaningful content.
And, in the meantime, enjoy the journey.