Grit
Book Project #5
Author–Angela Duckworth
Genre–Non-Fiction
Why I read this book:
It just so happens that one day I had just finished reading one of my books and there was going to be a couple days gap before my next book was coming in the mail so I was browsing the prison library when a book title caught my eye: “Grit”.
Grit is a word you hear a lot about as a trait someone has that goes beyond “toughness”. An easy example is a professional athlete that was from a rough neighborhood and a broken home and they had to work extremely hard every day to not only be the best at his/her sport but also make sure to stay out of trouble. Or, perhaps a salesperson who every single sales call would not allow the word “No” to affect him personally and would not allow it to stop him/her from making 1 more call and they used Grit to eventually become the #1 salesperson in the company.
But an ENTIRE book on the subject of Grit? Is this something that can be studied and someone can learn to apply it? Can you identify if someone has Grit by means of a survey or special interview questions? Can Grit be applied to someone who is facing time in prison? To say I was intrigued is an understatement. Angela Duckworth also worked with not just Fortune 500 companies but also NFL and NBA teams so there is obviously something universal about Grit and I had to learn more about it.
What I learned:
For those who are not familiar, West Point is where the best High Schoolers in the Country who want to become one of the best Army officers in the Country go to college. As of the writing of this book in 2016, more than 14,000 young adults apply to West Point every year. The application process is actually 2 YEARS long! Having excellent grades, top notch SAT or ACT scores, and proven leadership skills like Captains on championship sports teams is just the start. You also need a letter of nomination from either a member of Congress, a Senator, or the Vice President of the United States!! Of the more than 14,000 applicants, 1,200 are actually admitted and enrolled after finally meeting the superior academic and physical requirements. After all that, only 1 in 5 actually make it to graduation!! What is the difference between the 1,200 that on the surface appear to be a lock for graduating and the 1 in 5 that actually finish?? The answer appears to be Grit.
So, author Angela Duckworth, after studying Grit for some time, put together a survey that individuals can take that can measure how much Grit they have. West Point uses it today and it is fairly accurate in predicting who graduates and who does not.
I always thought Grit was something you have or do not have like whether you will be 6’2″ or 5’4″. Apparently, a combination of life’s experiences and how your parents, you know, parent, can expose you to Grit and allow it to become a part of your DNA.
How this will help me succeed:
After being inside a Federal Prison Camp for 3 months, I can now tell you who is cut out for prison and who is not. I guess I should clarify that–I understand prison is not something you VOLUNTEER for and if you are not cut out for it, you can not just go home. However, when you are sent to prison, you can handle your time served in 2 ways–wasteful or meaningful:
–Sleeping as much as possible to pass the time = wasteful
–Reading as much as possible = meaningful
–Watching TV for most of the day = wasteful
–Writing a book report to help encourage others in prison to read = meaningful
Meaningful prison time is HARD WORK. It takes a plan, dedication, discipline, time management, and the ability to say “No”. If you are not “Gritty”, a meaningful daily routine can get very old very fast. What happens when you are on a job interview after you get out of prison and they ask “How did you use prison as a way to better yourself?” What is your answer?
–I just tried to make the time go by as quick as possible.
–I read over 200 books, all non-fiction, in order to elevate my mind and expand my vocabulary. I will use the Page 1 of 2 10/5/2022
–Reading as much as possible = meaningful
–Watching TV for most of the day = wasteful
–Writing a book report to help encourage others in prison to read = meaningful
Meaningful prison time is HARD WORK. It takes a plan, dedication, discipline, time management, and the ability to say “No”. If you are not “Gritty”, a meaningful daily routine can get very old very fast. What happens when you are on a job interview after you get out of prison and they ask “How did you use prison as a way to better yourself?” What is your answer?
–I just tried to make the time go by as quick as possible.
–I read over 200 books, all non-fiction, in order to elevate my mind and expand my vocabulary. I will use the same Grit I used in prison at this job working for you.
Who are you hiring?
About me:
My name is Jeff Piecka and I was sentenced to 34 months in a Federal Prison Camp in Oxford, WI, after committing a white collar crime several years ago. Before self-surrendering on June 6, 2022, I promised my wife and family that I WILL exit prison a better husband, son, brother, Christian, future employee, and overall better member of society because I am going to better myself in three ways:
1) Physically–Not just for vanity purposes but a better operating body equals a better operating mind. 2) Mentally–Reading books, stories, and magazines that educate and elevate my mind and expand my vocabulary.
3) Spiritually–For ME, this means learning more from the Bible but it can mean whatever “Greater Good” you believe in.
Shortly after self-surrendering and reading Michael Santos’s book “Earning Freedom–Conquering a 45 Year Prison Term”, it inspired me to want to help just 1 person who is possibly heading to prison so I started to write my family Posts that my sister uses to post as a Blog on Reddit dot com called “Letters From Prison”. I believe to date it has close to 7,000 views and shares plus there are 3 comments from people advising that the Blog has helped them. This has motivated me to keep writing (which I have NEVER done anything like this before) and I REALLY want to help more people when I return to society next year.
Thanks!!
Jeff Piecka
44628-509
