Adam Grant: Top Organizational Psychologist Explains How to Discover Your Hidden Potential in 2024 | Human Behavior E268

**Hala Taha** (0:00)
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**Adam Grant** (0:50)
I think too many people define their success by performance when they should be defining it by progress. Because in the long run, it's actually progress that determines how high you climb. If you measure yourself just by the result you get, you're probably not going to invest in the things that will stretch you the most.

**Hala Taha** (1:05)
Organizational psychologist, your best-selling author. Professor at the Wharton School of Business.

**Adam Grant** (1:09)
When you're just a straight A student, you do better in school because you know what's going to be on the exam, and you can channel all your energy into mastering that material. Then you get into the real world and you find out there isn't an exam. It's often the slow learners and the late bloomers who come up with new ways of doing things. Because when you are given the goal of being uncomfortable, you jump into the deep end. You have to learn much faster because you're in an environment that's a much bigger challenge for you. And I think that's the fundamental value of seeking discomfort. The more uncomfortable you make yourself, the more challenges you take on. The more challenges you take on, ultimately the more you can grow.
And I think people think about this backward. Most people believe...

**Hala Taha** (2:06)
Yep, and welcome back to the show. I am super pumped for today's episode because our guest today needs a little introduction. I think you guys all know who he is. I'm a huge fan of his work. I've been reading his books and watching his Ted Talks for years now. And I've actually wanted him on the show since I started this podcast back in 2018
Our guest today is Adam Grant. He is an organizational psychologist, a professor at Wharton School of Business, and a bestselling author who explores the science of motivation, generosity, rethinking, potential, and so much more.
Adam hosts the TED podcast, ReThinking, and is the number one New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Think Again and Give and Take.
His newest book is called Hidden Potential, The Science of Achieving Greater Things. And that's going to be the topic of today's episode. Adam, welcome to Young and Profiting podcast.

**Adam Grant** (2:57)
Thanks, Hala. Glad to be here.

**Hala Taha** (2:58)
I am so pumped to have you on the show, Adam. I've been wanting to have you on the show for years. So I'm so happy we finally made it happen.
And I thought a good way that we could kick off today's episode is by breaking down some of your most popular concepts over the years. So you're a bestselling author. You've put out six different bestselling books and you've put out a lot of ideas to the world. So I'm going to rattle off some of your most popular quotes from your books.
And I would love for you to give me your perspective. Tell us why these are some of your secrets to profiting in life. So does that sound good?

**Adam Grant** (3:30)
Bring it on.

**Hala Taha** (3:31)
Okay, cool. The first quote is on giving.
The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success and what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade.

**Adam Grant** (3:42)
That's a quote from one of my role models in my first book, Give and Take. And it's inspired by some research I did showing that in the short run, takers often outperform givers. But in the long run, that actually flips.
And it turns out that the most meaningful way to succeed is to help other people succeed.

**Hala Taha** (3:59)
I love that.
And I am totally of a service mindset when it comes to leadership, so I agree. The next one is on thinking again. Thinking again can help you generate new solutions to old problems and revisit old solutions to new problems. It's a path to learning from people around you and living with fewer regrets.