The Real Value of Sweat Equity
What’s more valuable – talent or grit?
This is the question Angela Duckworth set out to answer in her book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.” Duckworth, a former teacher-turned-psychologist, argues that anyone can succeed as long as they have the right amount of drive and determination. While talent certainly has value, it’s also not the end-all-be-all factor in one’s pursuit of a goal or accomplishment.
Her perspective fits perfectly with one of my favorite quotes, attributed originally to Thomas Edison: “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Edison certainly had the experience necessary to make such a claim. After all, he famously failed thousands of times before inventing the first lightbulb. If you asked Edison, he always refused to suggest any sort of failure, however. He would instead retort, “I didn’t fail. I just learned another way not to make a lightbulb.”
I find myself gravitating toward this line of thinking as we continue our “faith in action” series. Recently, we’ve discussed the value of deliberate, intentional action (in contrast to simply “being in motion”) as well as how we can incorporate our faith into our work. This week, I want to challenge you to think about how you can drive your progress toward your goals even when you feel like the odds are stacked against you.
If Angela Duckworth and Thomas Edison are correct, intelligence and natural ability matter less than your willingness to work to pursue an outcome that matters to you. Success isn’t reserved for certain people who are especially fortunate. It belongs to anybody willing to put in the necessary sweat equity to accomplish something that matters.
To be honest, this is a bigger differentiator than you might expect. While success is available to all of us, it’s not something that everybody experiences. If you want to achieve a level of success that few people will ever reach, you’ll have to be willing to endure a level of pain or discomfort that few people are willing to accept.
As I write these words, I can’t help but think about the apostle Paul. Often in his writings, Paul is outspoken about his lack of natural giftedness. It’s clear he doesn’t consider himself to be a fantastic speaker, and we read about another “thorn in the flesh” that Paul lived with throughout his life in 2 Corinthians 12 (although it’s unclear what Paul was specifically talking about with this reference).
What Paul lacked in natural talent, he made up for with passion, dedication, and remarkable perseverance. Paul was willing to endure conditions that would challenge even the most resilient person among us to their core (you can read more about these grueling circumstances in 2 Corinthians 11). He remained strong because, as he wrote in Philippians 3, he considered everything else “garbage” compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus as Lord.
In conclusion, we remember that although true genius has very little to do with inspiration and far more to do with perspiration, the road to accomplishment isn’t easy by any means. However, in my mind, this is still better. When I remember that I can put in the necessary work to accomplish what I desire, I feel more in control of my future, and when I recognize the hard work necessary to get where I want to go, it enhances the perceived value of the outcome I desire.