Our modern-day society tends to overemphasise talent at the expense of other factors that lead to success and they perpetuate the myth that excellence or greatness is mystical. Consequently, some of us assume that we are not meant for greatness and that we will never excel. Here’s why reaching excellence or greatness is both easier and harder than just having talent. […]
When it comes to choosing a career or making a career transition, many career experts and graduation commencement speakers offer the advice that you should “find your passion”. Most people today find themselves stuck in lives and careers not of their own making. Sometimes out of desperation and perhaps also with some hope for something better, they absorb messages proclaimed by books like The 4-Hour Work Week. They believe that if they could only discover their passion and find the right formula for living and working, they could live happy and productive lives, and pursue meaningful jobs that ignite a fire in their bellies. However, once they start down that path, they soon discover that the Utopia that was promised is not within their reach… […]
The ability to bounce back from adversity (i.e. resilience) and to keep going when things get tough (i.e. perseverance) are two important traits people need to make successful life and career transitions. Your level of resilience, agility and flexibility determines the extent to which you are willing to persevere in building the life you want when you are faced with setbacks. Perseverance, together with passion, constitutes the two key ingredients of a character trait defined by Angela Duckworth as grit. Here is why grit is important and how to develop it. […]
