Hidden Potential by Adam Grant

Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a wall in your career or personal growth? Like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to break through to that next level? Well, buckle up buttercup, because Adam Grant is here to blow the doors off our assumptions about talent, potential, and achievement.

In his latest book “Hidden Potential,” the Wharton professor and bestselling author takes aim at our obsession with innate talent and makes a compelling case that we all have untapped wells of potential just waiting to be unleashed. Through a blend of rigorous research, captivating stories, and practical advice, Grant argues that with the right mindset and support systems, anyone can dramatically exceed expectations and achieve greater things.

The Myth of Natural Talent

Grant kicks things off by dismantling the widespread belief that success comes primarily from innate ability. You know, the idea that Mozart was just born a musical genius or that Michael Jordan emerged from the womb dunking basketballs. While he acknowledges that some people do have natural advantages, Grant insists that we place far too much emphasis on talent and not nearly enough on effort, persistence, and continuous learning.

To illustrate this point, he shares fascinating examples of late bloomers and underdogs who defied the odds through sheer determination. Like R.A. Dickey, the baseball pitcher who reinvented himself in his 30s by mastering the knuckleball and went on to win the Cy Young Award. Or José Hernández, who grew up as a migrant farmworker, learned English as a second language, and eventually became a NASA astronaut after being rejected 11 times.

These stories are inspiring, but more importantly, they highlight Grant’s central thesis: that potential isn’t fixed, but something that can be cultivated and expanded over time. It’s less about the height of the peak you reach and more about how far you’ve climbed to get there.

Building Character Skills for Growth

So if raw talent isn’t the key to unlocking our potential, what is? Grant argues that the secret sauce lies in developing what he calls “character skills.” These are attributes like proactivity, determination, discipline, and the ability to embrace discomfort and learn from failure.

One of my favorite sections explores how we can become “creatures of discomfort” who actively seek out challenges that push us beyond our comfort zones. Grant shares the story of Sara Maria Hasbun, a polyglot who speaks nine languages fluently. Rather than having some innate gift for languages, Hasbun achieved this feat by constantly putting herself in situations where she had to communicate before she felt fully ready. She’d move to new countries and force herself to start speaking the local language immediately, even if she could only say a few basic phrases at first.

The takeaway? Growth happens when we’re willing to be awkward, make mistakes, and push through the discomfort of not yet being good at something. As Ted Lasso puts it, “If you’re comfortable, you’re doing it wrong.”

The Power of Scaffolding

While Grant emphasizes personal responsibility in developing our potential, he’s no Bootstrap Bill. A key insight of the book is that none of us truly pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps—we all need support systems and structures to help us reach new heights.

Grant introduces the concept of “scaffolding”—temporary support structures that enable us to build skills and tackle challenges beyond our current abilities. This could be a mentor who provides guidance, a team that offers encouragement, or even just a system for breaking big goals into manageable steps.

He shares the fascinating story of the “Golden Thirteen,” the first Black officers in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Despite facing intense discrimination and skepticism about their abilities, all 13 men aced their officer training, achieving the highest collective score in Navy history. Their secret? They created their own scaffolding by forming a tight-knit study group, teaching each other, and holding one another accountable.

The lesson here is that we shouldn’t be afraid to seek help and create support systems. Paradoxically, leaning on others can actually make us more self-reliant and capable in the long run.

Redesigning Systems to Nurture Potential

In the final section of the book, Grant zooms out to examine how we can redesign educational, professional, and social systems to better nurture hidden potential in everyone. He argues that our current structures often overlook late bloomers, unconventional thinkers, and those who face systemic barriers.

One eye-opening example comes from his analysis of the education system in Finland. Rather than tracking students into gifted programs or remedial classes early on, Finnish schools take a more holistic approach focused on bringing out the best in every child. They emphasize play-based learning, provide individualized support, and even keep students with the same teacher for multiple years to build deeper relationships. The results speak for themselves – Finland consistently ranks at or near the top in international education rankings.

Grant also tackles hiring practices, making a compelling case that traditional resume screens and interviews are terrible at identifying hidden potential. He advocates for approaches like work sample tests and trial periods that give candidates a chance to demonstrate their abilities in action.

A Toolkit for Reaching New Heights

Throughout the book, Grant sprinkles in practical advice and exercises for applying these insights in our own lives and organizations. Some of my favorites:

• Set “minimum lovable goals” rather than striving for perfection. This helps balance high standards with self-compassion.
• Practice “deliberate play” – turning skill development into engaging games and challenges rather than rote practice.
• Create a personal “judging committee” of trusted advisors to give you honest feedback on your progress.
• When stuck, try “backing up to move forward” – sometimes we need to take a step back and try a new approach to make a breakthrough.

A Worthy Addition to Grant’s Canon

“Hidden Potential” builds on themes from Grant’s previous bestsellers like “Give and Take” and “Think Again.” As in those works, he has a knack for synthesizing complex research into compelling narratives and actionable insights. His writing style is conversational yet intellectually rigorous, striking a nice balance between accessibility and depth.

If I had one minor quibble, it’s that the book occasionally feels a bit repetitive, hammering home key points multiple times. But hey, maybe that’s just good pedagogy – Lord knows I could use the reminders to get out of my comfort zone and embrace the awkward phase of learning new skills.

The Verdict: A Must-Read for Achievers and Late Bloomers Alike

Whether you’re a student, professional, parent, or leader, “Hidden Potential” offers valuable insights for unlocking greater achievement in yourself and others. It’s a refreshing antidote to our culture’s obsession with prodigies and overnight successes, reminding us that true potential is revealed through sustained effort, continuous learning, and the courage to defy expectations.

Grant’s message is ultimately a hopeful one: that we all have reservoirs of untapped potential waiting to be discovered. By cultivating the right character skills, creating supportive environments, and redesigning our systems to nurture growth, we can all rise to achieve greater things than we ever thought possible.

So the next time you find yourself thinking “I could never do that” or “I’m just not talented enough,” remember Grant’s central insight: potential isn’t something you simply have or don’t have. It’s something you develop through effort, learning, and perseverance. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go sign up for those improv classes I’ve been putting off. Time to embrace the discomfort and see what hidden potential I can unlock!