Its Time to Unlock Your Potentialâ€By Getting Gritty

By Anna Svedberg – an intern with Hult Labs. Currently pursuing a Masters in International Business at Hult International Business School. â€Å"The separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.† – Will Smith Most of us know of Michael Phelps, the 28-year-old, now retired, swimmer, who in 2004 became the first athlete to win eight medals, including six gold, at a non-boycotted Olympic Games. Then, in 2007 he set four individual world records and won seven gold medals at the 2007 World Championships (just to mention a few of his many accomplishments). Impressive, right? So what made him so successful? Talent? Luck? Not really. According to Rick Telander, a contributor to the Chicago Sun-Times, it’s not simply because of his physical traits. He says: â€Å"to say Phelps is good in the water simply because of his physical gifts is to miss most of the point. His tenacity and desire are epic. In training he swam at least 80,000 yards a week, practicing for six hours a day in two sessions, six days a week. A lot of the rest of his time was spent sleeping.† Talk about focus and hard work! So is that all it takes then? Focus, work hard and then win an Olympic medal, or achieve some other amazing feat? What kind of role does effort actually play in a person’s success? This was the question that Psychology Professor Angela Duckworth wanted to find the answer to when she was teaching Math in middle school and high school. For a long time, IQ was considered the number one ingredient for success. However, as I have also mentioned in a previous piece, this is no longer the case. According to Duckworth, grit may be just as important. She defines this personality trait as: â€Å"sticking with things over the very long term until you master them.† When Duckworth studied a number of Ivy League students, she found that smarter students actually had less grit than their peers who had scored lower on an intelligence test. Nevertheless, the â€Å"grittiest† students had the highest GPA; they compensate for their lower test scores by working harder and with more determination. And just to clarify: grit and high IQ are not necessarily trade-offs (of course, a person can be exceptionally smart and gritty at the same time). The point to get across here is that a higher IQ does not automatically mean that a person will be more successful. It takes a bit more than that – maybe much more. So how do you know if you are gritty or not? For starters: if you are not discouraged by setbacks, have overcome obstacles to master an important challenge, work hard and can maintain focus on long-term projects, you are on the right track. You can even get a specific â€Å"grit score† if you like. Duckworth has developed what she calls the â€Å"Grit Scale†, where you get a score based on how you rate yourself on a number of items. Certainly, it’s possible to answer in a way that makes you appear more gritty than what you truly are, but trust me, that won’t do much outside of the computer screen and the real world. Believe it or not, the study of grit is part of an emerging area of psychology research focused on what’s currently called â€Å"non-cognitive skills†, which include motivation, adaptability and self-control, among other things. The aim of this research is to identify and measure these skills, which play a vital role, apart from intelligence, in human development and success. And make sure you understand this: grit and self-discipline are not interchangeable terms. Self-discipline is an important trait when it comes to doing your homework or staying on your diet (you know†¦stuff that’s relatively easy to manage). Grit, on the other hand, is what comes into play when you want to be successful in a highly challenging environment; an environment where you have to step out of your comfort zone to identify your weaknesses. And we all know that getting out of your comfort zone can increase the risk of failure, so it’s easier said than done. But hey, failure is good for you! I just can’t emphasize that enough. Just take Richard Branson’s word for it, the CEO of Virgin Group. In one of his columns for entrepreneur.com he states: â€Å"Few first ventures work out. It is how a beginning entrepreneur deals with failure that sets that person apart. In fact, failure is one of the secrets to success, since some of the best ideas arise from the ashes of a shuttered business.† But success won’t be handed over to you on a silver plate after a year, or two, of hard work. No, forget that. According to Duckworth, it takes 10 years to reach world-class performance from the time that you initiate your â€Å"discipline path.† She emphasizes that the gritty individual approaches achievement as a marathon; his or her advantage is stamina. Just take a look at Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who gets into the office at 6:00 a.m. and stays until 7:00 p.m., to then continue conversations with overseas employees even later at night from home; or Mark Cuban, the owner of Dallas Mavericks, who, when he started his first company, regularly stayed up until 2:00 a.m. in the mornings to read about new software, and went seven years without taking a vacation; or Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of GE, who has worked 100 hours per week for the last 24 years (it should be noted that he also takes time for a daily cardio exercise at 5:30 a.m., when he reads the latest news feed). Talk about exceptional work ethic! I’m not saying that you need to have a machine-like stamina like Immelt or force yourself to become a night owl like Cuban, but hopefully these leaders can inspire you to push yourself a little bit harder. And remember: it’s not just about the hours that you put in, but how you deliberately choose to spend those hours. Because I can assure you, spending a substantial amount of time chatting by the water cooler, organizing friends lists on Facebook, or watching funny cat videos on YouTube does not count towards the hours that will become the building blocks for your success. So then, is grit all it takes? Maybe. One thing is certain though: it’s not just about talent or luck. So keep aiming high and work hard in order to get where you want to be. The sky is the limit†¦with a little grit to help you propel even higher. Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business. To find out more, take a look at our blog From rock star to MBA student: An interview with Nimmer Khokhar. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. 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We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .