1-1-1: The joy of Sharing, the Light inside us & the power of Grit
1-Thought-Starter
“There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with.” - Ryan Holiday, Stillness Is the Key
1-Insight
When you’re your best version, the light inside you shines at its brightest. In her book Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown describes it as having a candle within us that represents our light. This light is what makes us who we are. When it shines brightly, so do we.
How do we keep that light shining? And how do we make sure we protect and nurture that light in others? Find out the importance of light and how not to be a candle-blower who takes the light out of other people’s lives.
1-Recommendation
Have you ever wondered why we, as a society, revere the naturally gifted? What is the great appeal about people who seem to have an effortless inclination towards certain pursuits like art, music, or the sciences? In this fascinating episode of A Slight Change of Plans, Dr Maya Shankar talks to psychologist Angela Duckworth, an American academic, psychologist, and author of Grit.
Angela believes the reason we put the naturally gifted on a pedestal is that we want to be let off the hook for putting in the hours. If we believe that there is a natural ability one has to be born with, we would not have to put in so much effort. She also talks about how there is some level of mysticism associated with being “gifted”.
She thinks that this structure needs to be reversed. The honour and glory should go to the people who put in the hours, who put in the effort to achieve great things.
I found great value in how she explained “grit” as an essential ingredient for personal success. As Angela defines it, “grit is passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way”. They got deeper into the concept of grit, recognizing interests, and the inspiration for her research on the subject. But I’ll leave that for you to find out…
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