GRIT
Objective: I understand that intelligence can be
developed, the brain is malleable, and persevering
when doing challenging work is the best way to
develop character and intellect
How long do you think it took Mendel to
form his data and conclusions/observations
about peas?
■ 10 years!
Do you think Mendel was the “smartest”
person to live in his time period?
■ Probably not – so what exactly set him apart,
enabling him to eventually become the Father of
Modern Genetics?
Do you think intelligence is fixed, or do you
think you can change how “smart” you are
later in life?
■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKJrB5rOKs
What do you think is the largest predictor of
success when achieving set goals?
■ IQ?
■ Talent?
■ Social intelligence?
■ Privilege?
■ Money/resources available?
What is grit?
■ Grit is a distinct combination of passion, resilience,
determination, and focus that allows a person to
maintain the discipline and optimism to persevere in
their goals even in the face of discomfort, rejection,
and a lack of visible progress for years, or even
decades.
Why does grit matter?
■ Excellence sometimes seems like the result of natural
talent. But no matter how gifted you are—no matter how
easily you climb up the learning curve—you do need to do
that climbing. There are no shortcuts. Grit predicts
accomplishing challenging goals of personal significance.
For example, grittier students are more likely to graduate
from high school, and grittier cadets are more likely to
complete their training at West Point. Notably, in most
research studies, grit and measures of talent and IQ are
unrelated, suggesting that talent puts no limits on the
capacity for passion and perseverance.
I struggle too.
I realize genetics is difficult.
■ I’ve thrown a ton of vocabulary at you in the last lesson
■ I realize many of you haven’t completed the reading guide (yet)
■ I realize that you might not feel ready to complete Punnett squares or the rest of the
handout
■ I realize you’re probably freaking out about the test on Monday or Tuesday
■ But I want you to breathe, think about how you can employ grit, and tackle that
worksheet/your homework.