Grit Summary | Chapterly

Grit by Angela Duckworth: A Complete Summary "Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare." Overview Grit (2016) makes a deceptively simple argument that cuts against one of our most cherished cultural beliefs: talent is overrated. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, spent years studying West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee finalists, rookie teachers in tough neighborhoods, and salespeople at major corporations. She found the same pattern everywhere: the people who succeeded were not necessarily the most talented. They were the grittiest -- the ones who combined intense passion for a long-term goal with the perseverance to keep showing up when progress stalled, when the work became boring, and when everyone else quit. Duckworth defines grit as "passion and perseverance for especially long-term goals." It is not just working hard on a given afternoon. It is working hard on the same thing, in the same direction, for years and even decades. Her research shows that grit predicts success over and above IQ, SAT scores, physical fitness, and virtually every other measurable trait. This is not wishful thinking -- it is peer-reviewed research replicated across domains from the military to business to education. The book goes beyond merely identifying grit...