Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness

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I read countless books but this is one of the most unique, defining and important ones I’ve ever seen. It is paradigm-shifting, revolutionary, liberating and hope-instilling. Not only the insights and principles, but the stories of young people cheerfully doing hard things will capture your imagination. While I’d love for every teenager to read Do Hard Things, I’m just as eager for every parent, church leader and educator to read it. Shaking us awake from a culturally (and somewhat self)-induced slumber, Alex and Brett Harris take us on a trip of sorts - a trip to discover that the teenage years are more than potato chips, couches, and plasma televisions. Adam Alter, Professor of Marketing and Psychology, New York University Stern School of Business, New York Times Bestselling Author of IRRESISTIBLE and DRUNK TANK PINK all my christian friends I think you'll love this and all my nonchristian friends I think that, if you don't mind the bros coming from a christian pov, you just might love it too. Steve delivers a critical message for our current age of posing and performance: real toughness is not about callous bravado, but instead about the ability to navigate difficulty with grace and an unwavering focus on what matters."

Steve Magness possesses an incredible range of wisdom and knowledge about the science, psychology and practical sides of sport performance. REAL TOUGHNESS is a master class in how to develop resilience, persistence and confidence under pressure.”This is an important book. And not just for those wanting to launch successfully into adulthood, but also for discontent twenty- and thirty-somethings who long to be catapulted into significance." I'm not discrediting them for trying, but take a look at Eragon and Throne of Glass. Those books aren't exactly high quality material and the authors, who were fifteen and sixteen when they started writing them, have improved so much over the years. In Do Hard Things, Steve Magness beautifully and persuasively reimagines our understanding of toughness. This is a must-read for parents and coaches and anyone else looking to prepare for life's biggest challenges." As well as simply finding many of the scientific studies really interesting, the main ideas I'll take away are: However, surrounded as we are by a culture that expects teens to be irresponsible, disrespectful, and lazy, we've fallen prey to those misconceptions. We've lost a true understanding of what the teen years are all about, and we fit like perfect puzzle pieces into the picture of modern teen apathy.

Completing a hard and worthwhile endeavor requires a high level of toughness. People associate toughness with complete confidence, brute force, and bravado. But real toughness is none of those things. Author Steve Magness has explored the science of toughness, and he’s found surprising differences between the traditional toughness maxims and the science of toughness. For starters:Zoom out and explain: When I get frustrated while working, I zoom out and see myself from a distance, then think, “Nathan is getting frustrated.” Explaining stressful situations to ourselves in the third person is an effective way to regulate emotion. In one study, kids who referred to themselves in the third person while working on a frustrating task were 30% better at regulating their emotions and staying on task. I was in the mood for some Christian nonfiction and was hoping for an informative, intelligent, well written novel. Instead, I got a bunch of overused inspirational messages. In a world dominated by social media and the appearance of connection, rather than actual relationships, the need for genuine connection is even more paramount Magness's outstanding critique of the traditional/harsh/calous view of toughness, with clear reasoning as to why it doesn't breed true success.