BOOK WORM BOOK TITLE:

GRIT: The power of passion and perseverance AUTHOR: Angela Duckworth AVAILABLE AT: All major bookstores REVIEWED BY: Keletso Thobega

I believe that ‘God helps those who help themselves’ and in the notion of ‘prayer in action’ so this book is like my achievement Bible. Quite frankly, in all that you set out to accomplish and achieve, you have to first put in the effort required and make a few sacrifices. And this is basically what this book is about. Have you ever wondered why some people are intelligent or talented, but not successful? Why is that some people excel at some activities and not others? Why do some people seem to ‘have it all together’ when others are struggling? Have you ever looked at someone with a great career, business or financial success, or someone who excels at music, sports, cooking etc… and ask yourself how they to be so amazing at what they do? The

“secret” is that well… there is no secret – they simply put in the effort required to achieve their goals.After doing research, Duckworth maintains that excellence and outstanding achievement is not the result of talent or luck alone but passion and persistence, arguing that these two are the hallmarks of high achievers in every domain. In life, you have to create your own luck, put in the work, pursue the opportunities and be prepared for success.Too often, some people want accomplishments, business, career and financial success or “soft life” in modern lingo, but they are not willing to put in the effort and work.The author highlights that there are no shortcuts to success, emphasising the importance of working hard to make your dreams come true. She notes that things also become easier if you are passionate about what you do, and also find it in yourself to ‘weather the storms.’ After all, patience is a virtue and sometimes you have to go through ups and downs before you reach your goals.This book is not ‘preachy’ but merely gives you the roadmap and tools to help you navigate life’s vicissitudes and helps you tap into your inner navigation and learn to be attuned and in sync– emotionally, mentally, intellectually and spiritually. It is an uplifting fine read and not surprisingly, the TED Talk is just as amazing.

*Are you an author with a book you would like us to review, or do you have a book that you have reviewed? Drop us an email at: keletso@ guardiansun.co.bw.