People who consistently achieve their goals have some key traits in common, according to psychologist Angela Duckworth.
Duckworth, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and best-selling author, has spent more than 15 years studying the concept of “grit,” or what drives someone to remain dedicated to and ultimately achieve their long-term goals. Many people with high levels of determination share these four qualities, he said on October 13. episode from “The Mel Robbins Podcast”:
- They pursue projects that genuinely interest them.
- They practice the skills they need for those projects diligently and deliberately.
- They have a strong sense of purpose, meaning they feel like they are helping other people, not just themselves.
- They really hope that their efforts will help them improve in the future.
“When you look at people who are great at what they do… Their mind comes to this topic and it wants to stay there,” Duckworth said, adding, “I don’t think you can develop passion without the seed of interest.”
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YoIf you don’t know exactly what you’re passionate about or really interested in, take note when people around you say things like, “By the way, you spend a lot of time thinking about X, Y and Z,” Duckworth said. You may not recognize what you’re interested in until you try something new, so go for it, he said.
“Don’t think about it, just do it. Stop writing in your journal. Stop asking yourself questions,” Duckworth said. “Literally, go out and do something. Interests are like food. You have to try it to know if you like it or not.”
Duckworth also highlighted the difference between low-quality practice and real dedication to improvement, using herself as an example. Duckworth, an avid runner, went running regularly and wondered why she wasn’t improving as much as she’d hoped, she said.
In response, his late mentor, psychologist Anders Ericsson, asked him some interesting questions and said: Did you have a specific goal? Was he practicing with full effort and concentration? Did you seek feedback on areas of improvement?
“Never,” Duckworth said. “I was doing low-quality internships.”
The third trait, purpose, is often studied, and feeling like you have a responsibility to other people can help you stay accountable while trying to achieve a long-term goal, Robbins said. Just be careful: Focusing too much on your overall purpose can cause you to underestimate the path or process you took to get there, author and physician Jordan Grumet. wrote for CNBC Do It in April.
Focusing on the process of achieving your goal, rather than the outcome, can help you live a more fulfilling life, Grumet said: “Unlike big, bold goals that take years or even decades to achieve, smaller, more personal types of resolution are ongoing projects that are enjoyed regardless of the results.”
If you struggle with discouragement at any time, you can try a tactic Duckworth uses herself, she said.
“I take out my pen and make a to-do list that’s ridiculously simple, like ‘Open [a] Google Document.’ Then I open Google Doc and bookmark it. Small victory,” Duckworth said. “If you look at these things that are discouraging to you, you should think, ‘Too big.’ “It’s not that it’s impossible.”
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