“The most dazzling human achievements are, in fact, the aggregate of countless individual elements, each of which, in a sense, ordinary,” The third component is a connection to like-minded communities. “Grit is about working on something you care about so much that you’re willing to stay loyal to it.” The second component is a tolerance for the mundane. The first is a great passion for something. In all of these activities, Duckworth finds that those who stand out have more grit. Too many quit what they start far too early and far too often, but the gritty people don’t give up easily and continue what they have started, improving through deliberate practice, often becoming better than those who are more talented in the same area.īut what makes one person grittier than another? Duckworth recognizes several components that help make people grittier. Through years of research, she found grit to be a stronger predictor of high-achievement than intelligence, talent and other personality traits.Īngela Duckworth’s 2016 book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance surveys a range of challenging endeavors, including the difficult process of writing and rewriting novels, the physically and emotionally struggles of surviving the seven-week “Beast Barracks” at West Point, or the training needed to become a successful swimmer or even to win spelling bees competition. Duckworth believes that what really drives success is not talent, intelligence or even a particular set of skills, but instead a combination of passion and long-term perseverance she defines as Grit.Īccording to Angela Duckworth, Grit is the combination of passion and perseverance. She also has a BA in neurobiology from Harvard and a MSc in neuroscience from Oxford. Good leaders inspire people to have confidence in their leader.“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein, physicist, 1879-1955.Īngela Lee Duckworth (born 1970) has an impressive background as a global management consultant, inner-city teacher, and research psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her PhD.Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity - Simon Weil.The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand.The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old but on building the new - Socrates.If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you - Fred Devito.We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give - Winston Churchill.People only see what they are prepared to see - Ralph Waldo Emerson.You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - Harper Lee.The respect you show to others (or lack thereof) is an immediate reflection on your self respect - Alex Elle.Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are - Kurt Cobain.In addition to Laurie Sudbrink's, Leading With GRIT, being a great new in 2015 book for leaders, it's packed with powerful leadership and life quotes.

Grit quotes