Analyzing the sports psychology behind ‘grit’
It’s a big predictor of achievement, say William Hanson and Chris Sargent.
Grit has many meanings, including grainy and abrasive. That’s the prevailing hockey definition, typically referencing “playing with an edge.”
But in psychological terms, grit means something else. It means passion and perseverance, and it predicts achievement and success in life and sport over and above things like intelligence and ability. In a psychologically gritty sense, passion refers to focused goal-directed behaviour over long periods of time; perseverance, to unwavering staying power. Gritty people are determined. They don’t give up.
We’re sure you know gritty people. We do. In addition to some friends and colleagues, several movie characters stand out. In True Grit, the steely-resolved, never-say-die teenager Mattie Ross avenges her father’s death with the help of equally gritty ex-U.S. marshal Rooster Cogburn. Together, they overcome one obstacle after another.
Similarly, in Mad Max: Fury Road, Max Rockatansky displays unrelenting, go-for-broke perseverance which, in many ways, represents humanity’s resolve in the face of disaster. These characters embody grit: clear goals, laser-sharp focus, and prolonged, unbridled tenacity.
Several Edmonton Oilers embody it, too, like Drake Caggiula, the third-year winger. Case in point: On Oct. 27, against the vaunted Nashville Predators, Caggiula fanned on an early first-period shot, determinedly stuck with it, and scored 10 seconds later. That’s grit personified. Kris Russell is perhaps the Oilers’ grittiest and gutsiest player.
NHLers are supremely talented and skilled. They’re not, however, equally gritty. Grit separates high-achieving teams from low-achieving teams. Do you remember the Minnesota Wild’s gritty 4-3 come-from-behind win against the Oilers Oct. 30? How about the Oilers’ equally gritty 4-3 OT win against the San Jose Sharks in Ken Hitchcock’s coaching debut with the team? Relentless ingame effort is key, as it leads to wins, playoff appearances and Stanley Cups; more so than just talent and skill.
Hitchcock emphasizes teamwork, dogged defence, and playing hard. So does Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning coach. They both value grit, which can be taught and developed through, among other things, intense, deliberate daily practice. It’s a nature and nurture thing, not one or the other.
And it can be reliably and validly measured and quantified. Just ask Dr. Angela Duckworth, a prominent researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. She’s one of the world’s leading scholars on grit. To learn more and take the test, visit angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale. How do you score?
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER MONTH
For us, this op-ed is deeply personal and timely. November was Hockey Fights Cancer month in the NHL. In addition to being passionate, diehard Oilers fans, we’re closely connected to cancer, most directly through the Cross Cancer Institute where we work together clinically. Chris has a rare and lethal Stage 4 liver cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma). He’s 39, married, and has a two-year-old daughter.
Chris and his wife also have a baby on the way. Circumstances like these shift priorities. Instead of worrying about distant outcomes, like Stanley Cups or next summer’s vacation plans, the focus sharpens, becomes more proximal, and is highly process-oriented, like trying as hard as you can and staying the course treatment-wise.
Cancer patients face tremendous challenges and demonstrate profound grittiness and the urgency we crave from our sports heroes. They “dig in,” as Hitchcock likes to say.
Alas, we love hockey, we love to be inspired, and we have hope. Hope is crucial in difficult times. It’s the feedstock of grit and it sustains us, even if it’s just a glimmer. In the inspiring words of legendary U.S. basketball coach and cancer patient Jimmy Valvano, whose Cinderella team won the NCAA title in 1983, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.”