Grit is a phenomenal predictor of professional success and an often-admirable quality to boot. Angela Duckworth, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote the bestselling book on Grit and has conducted groundbreaking research on the topic.
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But we had not understood how to apply it properly. I later learned that the quality I was observing was a form of grit: The ability to keep going, no matter what, in the name of achievement. Yet elite university cultures, as well as high-pressure workplaces, often reward us for pushing ourselves past our limits. Soon I realized that this was happening to many of my friends as well. I developed anxiety, and I stopped being able to sleep. So I kept going-and that’s when my health started to break down. In return, people told me that I was “successful,” which of course gave me a high. Soon enough, I got caught up in the overachiever culture: I would burn the candles at both ends, sleeping less, eating haphazardly, and leaving myself with little downtime. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder: Where was everyone running to?Įlite university cultures, as well as high-pressure workplaces, often reward us for pushing ourselves past our limits. Of course, exercise is a wonderful thing (and Americans are way healthier than French people that way). Growing up in France, I hadn’t seen many people exercising now I was surrounded by joggers. Nothing was ever enough.Įven when it came to working out, my classmates were on top of their game. They weren’t just studying hard for class-they were serving as presidents of multiple on-campus organizations, doing community service, launching start-ups, and writing a book on the side. to attend an Ivy League school at age 17, I was shocked by the way my fellow students worked. When I first moved from France to the U.S.
I understand the danger because I’ve gone down this rabbit hole myself. This skewed view of reality can do major damage to a young person, not just during their time in school, but further down the line. But if I could offer one piece of advice to incoming freshman, it would be to learn to take care of themselves-because they are about to be surrounded by people who often have the misconception that racking up achievements and accolades is more important than leading a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. As a researcher and instructor at elite universities in the U.S., I can attest that Ivy League schools and their competitors offer truly excellent educations.
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