In this BIT: Psychologist Angela Duckworth joins us to share hacks to perseverance, how to overcome challenges, and more secrets of success and happiness.
We all experience tough moments. We all experience difficult days, weeks, months, or even years. Everyone goes through challenges! The art of pushing through and getting back up is what allows us to get stronger, smarter, and learn to become more resilient. A quote that I’ve always loved is “This Too Shall Pass”. While challenges keep coming and going, we can find controls and handholds to help us become more resilient. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist, New York Times Bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and Wharton Professor, studies grit. Recently, Angela joined our podcast, Hack Your Happiness, to share her top advice on how to be more resilient. See our top three takeaways below.
Effort must be put into anything in order to achieve greatness and success. Hence, grit. There is no substitute for hard work, effort, and most of all (may we add) using your passion to drive effort. While challenges are unavoidable, the effort we put into overcoming challenges, and finding other means to express pent up energy, is within our own hands. Put effort into bouncing back from obstacles, and put effort into finding happiness in the small moments.
Angela shared that one of the secrets of success is that while how we must work hard, we should choose the path of least resistance. Study (or work) smarter, not harder. How do you enjoy working? Where and when do you think best? Is it in the morning? Outdoors? In a specific room or chair? Perhaps you learn best by watching tutorials, or listening to audiobooks. In order to become resilient, we must set ourselves up for success and control what is within our hands. Don’t think that success, happiness, or a ‘comeback’ must always come from absolute difficulty.
One of the greatest misconceptions is that strength and grit come solely from within. While we must be driven, those around us – our support network – must too help and elevate us. Angela speaks about how when she is experiencing a challenge, it is even more challenging to find inner strength. We need handholds – people within our lives who support us during times of challenge. Who can you ask for advice, support, or simple share your thoughts and feelings with, in your circle?
We hope that these hacks from Angela Duckworth help you build perseverance, bringing you a Small Bit of Happiness.
Listen to Angela’s full episode here.
*this interview has been edited for length and clarity
Find Angela here:
Website: https://angeladuckworth.com/
For more happiness check out our Mood Boost page.
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