What is the formula for achievement?

In her book “Grit,” Angela Duckworth outlines these formulas:

Talent x effort = skill

Skill x effort = achievement

So the formula for achievement is Achievement = Talent x Effort2

Achievement Formula - Angela Duckworth - Grit

Angela’s premise of the book is that perseverance or grit is a better predictor of success than talent alone. She explains “Talent is how quickly your skills improve when you invest effort. Achievement is what happens when you take your acquired skills and use them.”

As she says, effort counts twice. To clarity, this does not mean effort counts 2x but rather it is an exponential effect. Using a financial analogy, think of effort more like a powerful compounding factor.

Person A: Raw Talent = 9, Effort = 5,

Achievement (A) = 9 x 5^2 = 9 x 25 = 225

Person B: Raw Talent = 5, Effort = 9,

Achievement (B) = 5 x 9^2 = 5 x 81 = 405 or 80% higher vs. Person A

Enjoyment Performance Theory

This formula for achievement by Angela Duckworth reminds me of the Harrison Assessments Enjoyment Performance Theory that Dr. Harrison developed. The Enjoyment Performance Theory states that:

·        When we enjoy a task or behavior, we tend to do it more often and get better at it.

·        This elicits positive feedback or a sense of satisfaction, which reinforces enjoyment and tendency. The cycle repeats.

·        When we don’t enjoy a task or behavior, we tend to avoid it and we don’t get better at it.

·        This elicits negative feedback or a sense of dissatisfaction, which reinforces dislike and avoidance. The cycle repeats.

To improve at something, we need to start or continue the positive feedback cycle which over time will make the effort we put in more enjoyable.

This approach is also in line with Caroline Dweck’s concept of a growth mindset. We have learned more about the brain in the past twenty years than ever before thanks to imaging technology. The brain is elastic, and we continue to be able to learn throughout our lifetime. What makes it difficult to change as we get older is that we have established certain habits. One of the best-known sayings in neuroscience is “neurons that fire together wire together” (Carla Shatz). This is why building good habits, both lifestyle and mental habits, is important but also takes time if we are looking to change existing habits or thought processes.

Something else that has been discovered is that when we look to change it can be done by either changing behavior first or knowledge first – both pathways work.

How can we make our efforts more effective?

If effort counts twice, how do we figure out where to focus our efforts? What can be done to build better habits?

1.      Invest in a good behavioral assessment that will allow you to determine which behaviors you need to focus on developing. Understanding your personality is important, however personality tends to be fixed whereas behavior can be changed. Think of the personality component similar to the talent component in the equation. If we have a certain personality, we will have a tendency towards some behaviors making it easier to grow these into strengths. However, we can still develop other skills and even surpass those who may be naturally inclined to behave a certain way with sustained effort over time.

2.      Once you have identified what behavior you want to focus on developing, work with a coach or find an accountability group/partner to develop new behavioral skills and habits.

Claritas offers coaching and behavioral assessment reports including actions plans using Harrison Assessments proven approach. These assessments are the most comprehensive and detailed in the industry and are used by highly reputable companies such as McKinsey, Boeing, and Chick-Fil-A. As a Harrison Assessments solutions provider, I have seen how using Harrison’s behavior-based assessments can make coaching sessions with clients much more effective than traditional coaching methods and/or personality assessments. 

Contact me for a complimentary consultation to see if Claritas is the right fit for you or if you are interested in leveraging Harrison Assessments reports for your business.

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