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Danny Southwick Explores the Divide Between Talent and Grit

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A group of people seated in a room, facing a projection screen at the front, with a speaker standing in front of them.
  • Speaker Program
Danny Southwick Explores the Divide Between Talent and Grit

In Chapel on September 27, 2024, professional football player Dr. Danny Southwick shared with the boys how it was a change in mindset, not talent, that made all the difference for his career. 

Before his 15 year career as a professional football player, Dr. Southwick was a highly touted high school quarterback prospect, breaking state records in Utah. In college, however, he spent time at a number of schools before he finished as a backup in Division III. Before the end of his senior season, Dr. Southwick began to think deeply on how and why his lofty expectations were not met, and he endeavored to make a change to his approach.

Exploring the teachings of prestigious psychologists such as Angela Duckworth and K. Anders Ericsson, Dr. Southwick enlightened the Belmont Hill community on the definition of grit as the combination of passion and perseverance. Dr. Southwick attributes his setbacks on the football field to a lack of these qualities, and a “fixed mindset,” a belief that his outcomes were based on talent and outside his control. It wasn’t until he developed his grit and a “growth mindset” that he saw his career lead to his ultimate goal: playing in the NFL. 

Sharing insights on motivation and tangible steps for setting and achieving long term goals, Dr. Southwick’s practical lessons were valuable for all students. 

Following the School Meeting, Dr. Southwick continued the conversation in a small group discussion.

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