Chapter 6: Discussion
6.3 Older Workers and Wellbeing
6.3.1. Grit in the dynamic-grit mindset
The dynamic-grit mindset is a completely new construct based on the data in this study (see Figure 6.1). This mindset sets older workers apart from their younger counterparts in Singapore’s workforce and accounts for their success in their respective careers and employment history. The dynamic-grit mindset encapsulates the appreciative factors present in older workers in this study and comprises seven different components. Integrating these individual components—including five factors from Huppert and So’s (2011) 10 factors of flourishing—forms the core of this mindset and predicts success factors for older workers in Singapore’s workforce.
The first key component in the dynamic-grit mindset is the dynamism observed in the older workers in this study. ‘Dynamic’ means being constantly mobile, active and adaptable in mitigating the constantly changing demands of the workforce and economy (Schulze &
Pinkow, 2020). It refers to several positive traits, including industriousness, vision, passion, mindfulness and drive. Existing studies similarly describe dynamism and refer to it as a positive trait necessary for success (Kooij, 2020b; Rossi et al., 2021; Takashi & Mana, 2020).
The current study considers dynamism an essential trait for older workers to remain relevant in a competitive economy and enjoy sustained periods of employment. This construct forms the first part of the dynamic-grit mindset, and its presence in the older workers in this study manifests itself in several forms (see Figure 6.1).
First, dynamism could be seen in the constant upskilling and reskilling of older workers to improve their competencies to adapt to the needs of the workforce. Second, it was observed in the way they engaged in learning new knowledge and new skills to adapt to changing work environments, and third, how they found meaning in their work lives. Lastly,
dynamism was visible in the older workers expanding their professional networks by establishing and maintaining positive relationships in their professional lives.
Figure 6.1: The components of the dynamic-grit mindset
As Figure 6.1 illustrates, the dynamic-grit mindset consists of the concept of grit, five factors from Huppert and So’s (2011) concept of flourishing, and problem-solving and emotional intelligence. In this study, the concept of grit is extended according to the older workers in Singapore’s context and shifts from the well-known and traditional concept of grit defined by Duckworth et al. (2007). In their seminal work on grit, Duckworth et al. (2007) developed the Grit Scale based on their definition of grit as a construct consisting of
Competency
Resilience Meaning
Positive
Relationships Engagement
Emotional
Intelligence Problem-
Solving
Dynamic-Grit
Mindset
perseverance and passion. Duckworth (2019) found that grit not only consists of sheer perseverance (as commonly assumed) but also includes having a passion for what you do. As Huéscar-Hernández et al. (2020) and Jachimowicz et al. (2018) clarify, in Duckworth’s discussion of grit, perseverance must exist in tandem with passion for an individual to flourish.
Similarly, Teimouri et al. (2020) refer to grit as having a significant positive correlation between perseverance and passion, noting that social psychology has found grit an important predictor of success across different populations. However, other definitions of grit describe it as a more complex construct, not easily defined (Loftesnes et al., 2021), although Richardson et al. (2020) broadly refers to it as a positive quality indicative of the likelihood of success. Park et al. (2020) suggest that having grit and a growth mindset predicts effort and accomplishment in the face of difficulties. Grit may also be considered a trait indicative of human flourishing necessary for success (Singh & Chukkali, 2021; Southwick et al., 2019;
Suppawittayaa et al., 2021). Rhodes and Giovannetti (2021) assert that grit in older adulthood may serve as a protective factor that promotes active adaptation to the challenges of aging.
Consistency and assuming an adaptive role play a part in all facets of successful aging, including positively affecting older adults’ physical and emotional wellbeing. The data in this study indicated that five factors from Huppert and So’s (2011) concept of flourishing accounted for the flourishing of the older workers; however, grit is also central. The coding frequencies for these components are presented in Table 5.1.
As already noted, the analysis revealed that the concept of grit in this study encapsulates five components: discipline, commitment, perseverance, passion and vision.
Figure 6.2 depicts these components in the current study. To date, no research studies have explored the concept of flourishing and grit in older workers in Singapore. This study is the first to suggest the dynamic-grit mindset as a predictor of positive work performance and an
indicator of flourishing for older workers. Moreover, it is the first to propose the concept of grit as comprising the five components, as illustrated in Figure 6.2.
Figure 6.2: The components of grit in the dynamic-grit mindset
Grit is a key component in the dynamic-grit mindset. It is a construct that has received a lot of attention from media, wellbeing practitioners and policymakers; however, there is still no agreed definition of this construct nor its role in predicting success and wellbeing (Morell et al., 2020). As noted earlier, Duckworth et al. (2007) developed one of the most accepted and known definitions of grit in psychology. As a concept, grit builds on early positive psychology research and describes an individual’s tendency to persistently pursue long-term goals despite challenges or obstacles (Duckworth et al., 2007; Duckworth & Gross, 2014;
Vision
Perseverance Passion
Discipline Commitment
Grit
Vision
Schmidt et al., 2017). To measure grit, Duckworth et al. (2007) developed and validated a self-report questionnaire, which was intended for use by teenagers and adults in pursuit of specific goals in different domains (Duckworth et al., 2007; Karlen et al., 2019; Singh &
Chukkali, 2021). Building on Schmidt et al.’s (2017) construct, grit involves working persistently towards overcoming challenges, sustaining concerted effort and interest over years, despite these challenges or suffering from stagnancy at times during this process (Duckworth et al., 2007; Morton & Paul, 2019; Tang et al., 2021; van der Vaart et al., 2021).
Surveys conducted in Duckworth’s (2009) study indicated that grit accounted for the success of Ivy League undergraduates, cadets at the US Military Academy West Point and participants in the National Spelling Bee (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009; Duckworth et al., 2021;
Park et al., 2020). Grit proved the validity of success measures over and beyond IQ and conscientiousness (Allen et al., 2021; Duckworth et al., 2007; Duckworth & Gross, 2014;
Southwick et al., 2019). Yet, although these studies suggest the accomplishment of goals while overcoming challenges and complexities requires sustained effort and focused application of talent and skill over time, grit alone may not fully capture the contextual nuances and circumstances to explain why older workers in Singapore flourish despite systemic challenges or personal adversities. Further, as discussed in Chapter 3, flourishing captures the wellbeing of an individual in a specific context—here, the concept of flourishing is extended to include several determinants unique to Singapore’s context found in the older workers in this study.
Four studies on grit support the claim that passion and perseverance are two key components within grit (Credé et al., 2017; Huéscar-Hernández et al., 2020; Jachimowicz et al., 2018; Verner-Filion et al., 2020). However, several others (Allen et al., 2021; Datu, 2021;
Disabato et al., 2019; Duckworth & Gross, 2014; Guo et al., 2019; Rhodes & Giovannetti, 2021; Whitfield & Wilby, 2021) contend that grit is more than just passion and perseverance.
Indeed, Duckworth and Quinn (2009) theorised the construct of grit as passion and
perseverance and developed a Grit Scale, which became a phenomenon in psychology.
However, Duckworth et al. (2021) recently reviewed their earlier work (Duckworth et al., 2007) and reported that it was not possible to define a theory accurately through statistical answers, and the argument for grit as a compound of related but distinct dispositions should not have relied so heavily on the optimal factor solution for a questionnaire devised to assess grit. As such, Duckworth et al. (2021) suggest that the components forming the concept of grit are likely to be interchangeable depending on the contexts and cultures in which it sits.
Although Morell et al. (2020) had similarly defined grit as passion and perseverance for achieving long-term goals, they argue there are differences in the nature of grit in different groups and found that perseverance of effort is more significant in achievement than the consistency of interests. Muenks et al. (2018) and Schimschal et al. (2021) and also affirm that perseverance appears to be a more significant factor in grit and is, to some extent, a significant predictor of success.
Alhadabi and Karpinski (2020) highlight that grit is a trait that predicts positive academic performance, while two other studies report that grit has shown a strong correlation with job satisfaction, work engagement and career success (Popoola & Karadas, 2022; Singh
& Chopra, 2018). Hollis-Sawyer (2018) posit that grit was instrumental in extending the work lives of older workers in the US, where they enjoyed successful and prolonged careers.
Although it is argued that the significance of grit remains unclear, and despite extensive media attention and research recognition, it remains a construct considered an important trait for workers and a predictor of positive work performances (Jordan et al., 2019).
Cormier et al. (2021), Maddi et al. (2017) and Shamshirian et al. (2021) identified grit as an important component in the success of young students and talented individuals in schools, military academies or elite competitions (Rhodes & Giovannetti, 2021). However, there has not been any research on grit exploring its role in older workers—specifically, its significance to the work lives and wellbeing of these workers. Further, studies show that grit