Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things
by Adam M. Grant
View on GoodreadsAdam Grant's argument that achievement is more determined by character skills, learning practices, and opportunity scaffolding than by innate talent — and that most institutions select for the wrong signals.
Core ideas
- "Character skills" — proactivity, prosociality, perseverance, discipline — predict outcomes better than cognitive tests, and unlike cognitive ability they're trainable; treating them as fixed personality traits is a measurement mistake.
- Productive discomfort, "imperfectionism," and information seeking are the learning practices that distinguish people who keep growing from those who plateau; comfort is the diagnostic for stagnation.
- Opportunity scaffolding — the systems, mentors, and access patterns around someone — accounts for more variance in outcomes than most institutions credit; "talent" claims often hide structural advantages.
Published2023
Pages304
ISBN9780593653142
ReadJun 2024
