"Grit" Book Review: When Passion Meets Perseverance, Extraordinary Paths Emerge
- dailycalisthenics0
- Oct 13
- 4 min read
I recently finished reading Angela Duckworth's "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," and I was deeply moved by the author's insights on grit. This book not only redefined my understanding of success but also made me reflect on DAILYCALI's journey along the way.
What is True Grit?
Duckworth presents a revolutionary viewpoint in her book: grit, more than talent or intelligence, is the key determinant of high achievement. She describes grit as a quadrilateral whole, containing four core elements: Interest, Practice, Purpose, and Hope.
The author emphasizes that long-term goals are what bring lasting motivation, and this psychological asset is the essence of grit.
"Grit is not just falling in love; it's staying in love" (p. 54).
This quote perfectly captures the essence of grit—not just momentary passion, but sustained commitment and perseverance.
First Key Point: Success Has Never Been About Talent Alone
The Myth of Talent
Duckworth presents an important formula in her book:
Talent × Effort = Skill → Skill × Effort = Achievement
This formula clearly shows that effort appears twice in the success equation, while talent appears only once. "Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming. They'd rather show the highlight of what they've become" (p. 42).
DAILYCALI's Real Story
Before you praised our branding and all our video edits, we also went through difficult times. Before we learned to simplify complexity, our production was very crude—even our logo wasn't transparent, our camera wasn't calibrated, and we had no business strategy whatsoever.
(The First Year - 2021)
(2025 - Just reached 13K followers)
Most importantly, I was never a natural sharer. My speaking skills and interpersonal communication abilities were accumulated bit by bit during my coaching career and social work years. At this stage, I'm more willing to believe that there are no naturally born geniuses in this world. Gritting your teeth is what breaks through everything.
"Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare" (p. 58).
Second Key Point: Hard Work Brings Not Just Success, But Life Satisfaction
The True Value of Grit
I believe this part perfectly aligns with why we love sports. We invest in training, worry about today's performance, feel excited about breakthroughs, not simply to become stronger, but because this makes life feel alive and makes you fall in love with a regular lifestyle.
So whether we break through today or not, tomorrow we'll want to try again like a child wanting another piece of candy. Eventually, this becomes a daily, monthly, yearly, and lifelong purpose.
The book mentions an interesting perspective: "Compete comes from Latin, quite literally, it means strive together. It doesn't have anything in its origins about another person losing" (p. 103). True competition is a contest with yourself, a process of mutual improvement.
The Cycle of Exploration, Experience, and Growth
Duckworth describes a beautiful growth cycle in her book: exploration generates experience, experience cultivates passion. Long-lasting passion makes people mature, thus learning to seek feedback and focus on areas for improvement. Finally, this creates a desire to change and make an impact with grander ideals.
This is exactly the process DAILYCALI has been experiencing—from initial exploration, to our current passion for sharing fitness knowledge, to our mission of influencing more people to establish healthy lifestyles.
Conclusion: Waiting for That One Recognition
What struck me most deeply was the book's introduction. The author grew up under the pressure of expectations from her Chinese father, always feeling she wasn't as excellent as others. She understood that her father's expectations weren't wrong, and she indeed wasn't a genius, but this didn't stop her from moving toward progress.
Her father taught her the importance of being down-to-earth. Years later, she received an award that was said to be given only to the most intelligent people. And after winning, she heard her father's first praise. Although it was just a simple sentence, it represented all the grit she had shown, all the experiences she had been through.
I'm also waiting for that recognition, and perhaps you are too. Therefore, we must work hard.
Because grit is not only the key to success, but also the driving force that keeps us moving forward on life's journey.
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TRANSFORM BODY & MIND
Based in Hong Kong. Since 2021, DAILYCALI isn't just a name—it's a mission. We're here to revolutionize your approach to fitness by making calisthenics an integral part of your daily life.
Whether you're looking to build strength, master impressive skills, or simply find a fitness approach that actually works for you, we're here to guide you every step of the way.
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