1. What prompted me to choose this book?
I picked up Grit because my life has always been an endurance test—from crashing on a friend’s couch at sixteen, to building a construction company, to now sitting in prison. A pretty wild roller coaster, right? Several friends, including inmates, have told me that this book is a must-read. Grit is something I thought I already had, but it’s time to get back to basics. I screwed up, and my ego needs to stay quiet and I need to start with the basics.
2. What did I learn from reading this book?
Long-term success hinges on a combination of passion and sustained effort. Talent helps, but daily practice and a clear purpose matter more. I love that. Hard work can beat talent. A lesson I will impart to my children. The author’s research on West Point cadets, spelling-bee finalists, and business founders demonstrates that pushing through boredom and setbacks develops genuine skill. I saw my past in her stories: sweeping floors, mastering trim work at night, and turning small wins into systems that scaled. The science behind deliberate practice gave me words for what I did by instinct: break big goals into tiny drills, review results, then repeat.
3. How will reading this book contribute to my success upon release?
I read Grit because, somewhere along the way, I had become lazy and started coasting. Duckworth’s research on passion and perseverance hit me like a wake-up call. She shows that raw talent stops mattering the moment hard work walks into the room. Seeing cadets, athletes, and founders outlast more formidable odds than mine reminded me of the kid who once swept job sites at dawn just to afford a used pickup. The book convinced me that I’ve grown soft. When I leave prison, my edge will come from getting back to reasonable old-fashioned effort—first one in, last one out, no shortcuts. That mindset now sits at the top of my release blueprint.
