How effort, not talent, shapes our long-term success – and why it matters.
Introduction: Why Read Grit?
Published in 2016, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance quickly became a New York Times bestseller, translated into over 20 languages, and has been recommended by public figures such as Bill Gates, who called it a book “every parent should read.” Angela Duckworth, a MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, brings together psychological science, personal narrative, and empirical studies to argue a deceptively simple thesis: what really drives success is not talent, but sustained effort over time.
Duckworth’s work has gained wide recognition not only in psychology but also in education, business, sports, and military training. Her TED Talk, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” has been viewed more than 25 million times. The book has since influenced organizations ranging from West Point Military Academy to Google, and from charter schools to Fortune 500 companies.
Part I: What Grit Is and Why It Matters
Across five chapters, Duckworth argues that what most people call “talent” is often misunderstood, and that grit—a blend of passion and perseverance for long-term goals—is a far more reliable predictor of high achievement.
Chapter 1 – Showing Up
Duckworth opens with a simple but profound question:
“Who succeeds in life?”
This question led her through diverse fields—education, military training, corporate leadership, and even sports—to find a recurring theme: the people who stick it out are the ones who win.
She recounts her early research at West Point, where she tried to predict which cadets would survive the intense first summer, known as Beast Barracks. Surprisingly, neither SAT scores, GPA, nor physical aptitude were good predictors. Instead, the best predictor was her Grit Score, a measure she developed to assess long-term passion and perseverance.
This early insight led her to conclude:
“Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another.”
Chapter 2 – Distracted by Talent
Here, Duckworth takes aim at what she calls the “naturalness bias”—the widespread belief that innate talent matters more than hard work.
She cites research by Chia-Jung Tsay, who found that music experts preferred performers described as “naturals” over equally skilled performers labeled as “strivers,” even when the actual performances were identical.
Duckworth uses anecdotes from sports (NFL coaches), business (Warren Buffett), and the arts to show how our culture romanticizes raw talent, often to the detriment of real-world performance.
“As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.”
To drive the point home, she introduces her famous formula:
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Talent × Effort = Skill
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Skill × Effort = Achievement
This implies that effort multiplies twice: first to build skill, and then to turn that skill into accomplishment. It’s a powerful reframe that challenges conventional wisdom.
Chapter 3 – Effort Counts Twice
This chapter is a deeper exploration of Duckworth’s “effort counts twice” idea. She emphasizes that effort is the engine of skill development, and effort is also what transforms that skill into consistent, high-level performance.
She illustrates this with the example of Will Smith, who said in interviews that his success was less about talent and more about “the sickening work ethic” that kept him on the treadmill longer than anyone else.
Duckworth references cognitive psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice—the kind of focused, repetitive, goal-oriented training that builds expertise over years. Ericsson’s research, which also influenced Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000-hour rule,” underlines the message: long-term effort matters more than we think.
Chapter 4 – How Gritty Are You?
In this chapter, Duckworth introduces the Grit Scale, a short 10-question survey that measures two dimensions:
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Consistency of Interests: Do you stay focused on your goals over time?
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Perseverance of Effort: Do you keep going despite setbacks?
She uses this scale to study:
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Spelling Bee contestants, where grittier students practiced more consistently and performed better.
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Salespeople, where grit predicted retention better than job performance scores.
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West Point cadets, where it again predicted who would survive training.
In each case, grit outperformed traditional predictors like IQ, test scores, or physical ability—but she also notes that grit doesn’t explain everything. The predictive power is statistically modest (e.g., accounting for 4–7% of the variation), but in high-stakes, long-term pursuits, even small advantages matter a great deal.
Chapter 5 – Grit Grows
One of the most important points Duckworth makes is that grit is not fixed. Unlike IQ, which is relatively stable across life, grit can grow with experience and intention.
She references psychologist Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory, noting that people who believe abilities can be developed are more likely to persist when they struggle.
“Grit grows as we figure out our life philosophy, learn to dust ourselves off after rejection, and realize that quitting won’t make us happy.”
She also draws on developmental research showing that adults become grittier over time, especially if they are in environments that reward persistence and long-term commitment—such as professional careers, athletic training, or disciplined artistic practice.
Part II – Growing Grit from the Inside Out
In part II, Duckworth offers a structured answer to the question:
“If grit is so important, can we grow it?”
Her answer is unequivocally yes—and the mechanism involves four psychological assets:
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Interest
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Practice
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Purpose
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Hope
These are presented as sequential and interdependent, not strictly chronological. Some people discover purpose first, others begin with interest—but ultimately, grit flourishes when all four are nurtured.
Chapter 6 – Interest
“Passion begins with intrinsically enjoying what you do.”
Duckworth challenges the romantic myth of sudden passion, or the “eureka moment” of purpose. Instead, she emphasizes that interests develop gradually, often over years, through exposure, exploration, and early encouragement.
She cites the example of Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, who showed early curiosity for mechanics and engineering. Bezos wasn’t born with a passion for online retail—his early interests were broad and technical, and over time these matured into vision and commitment.
Duckworth also draws on the work of psychologist Paul Silvia, who found that people are more likely to develop interests in areas where they experience early success and positive feedback. This reinforces the importance of creating environments where curiosity can flourish, especially for children and adolescents.
“Before hard work comes play. Before the marathon training comes the fascination with running shoes or the high school track team.”
Chapter 7 – Practice
“Effortful training designed to improve skill is the secret to excellence.”
Duckworth expands on the idea of deliberate practice, originally developed by psychologist Anders Ericsson, and popularized in Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000-Hour Rule.” But she refines the concept to focus on how practice is done, not just how much.
Deliberate practice includes:
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Setting a stretch goal
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Giving full concentration and effort
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Receiving immediate feedback
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Repeating and refining through iteration
She illustrates this with swimmer Rowdy Gaines, who swam 365 days a year for six straight years. Not simply through discipline, but through a system of feedback, measurable goals, and continual refinement.
“Gritty people do more deliberate practice and experience more flow.”
Importantly, Duckworth distinguishes between deliberate practice and the pleasurable, absorbing state of flow (as studied by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi). Deliberate practice is uncomfortable and effortful, while flow is enjoyable and immersive. Both matter, but for mastery, deliberate practice is irreplaceable.
Takeaway: Passion alone isn’t enough—systematic, difficult practice over years is the path to world-class performance.
Chapter 8 – Purpose
“At its core, the idea of purpose is the intention to contribute to the well-being of others.”
Here, Duckworth introduces the idea that gritty people are not only passionate, they’re purposeful. They see their work as meaningful, not just interesting or lucrative.
She shares the story of Francesca Martinez, a stand-up comedian with cerebral palsy who uses humor as activism. Martinez’s grit comes not just from talent or interest, but from a powerful sense of purpose: using comedy to promote inclusion and challenge stereotypes.
Duckworth references research by Amy Wrzesniewski, who found that people tend to view their work as a:
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Job (a paycheck)
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Career (a path to advancement)
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Calling (a contribution to something bigger)
People with a calling orientation tend to experience higher grit and perseverance, especially during hardship.
Duckworth also notes that many people don’t start with purpose—but it often emerges through interest and practice. She encourages young people not to wait for “their calling” but to build toward it through skill development and curiosity.
“Passion for your work is a little bit of discovery, followed by a lot of development, and then a lifetime of deepening.”
Chapter 9 – Hope
“Grit depends on a kind of hope that is based on the expectation that our own efforts can improve our future.”
This chapter touches the emotional core of grit: hopefulness in the face of struggle. Duckworth distinguishes between naive optimism (“everything will be fine”) and what she calls “gritty hope”—a belief that what I do matters, even in difficult circumstances.
She references the work of Martin Seligman, her mentor and the founder of positive psychology, particularly his research on learned helplessness vs. learned optimism. People who interpret failure as permanent and personal tend to give up. Those who see setbacks as temporary and specific are more likely to persist.
“Optimists are more likely to keep going when things get tough.”
Duckworth discusses Catherine Cox’s study of 300 historical geniuses, which found that resilience and confidence in personal effort were more predictive of impact than IQ.
She also describes how grit thrives when people develop a “growth mindset”—a belief that abilities can be developed. This mindset supports the hopeful perspective that today’s struggle leads to tomorrow’s progress.
Part III – Growing Grit from the Outside In
We do not develop grit in a vacuum. Families, schools, workplaces, and social circles all influence whether our perseverance is sustained or extinguished.
As Duckworth notes:
“If you want to be grittier, find a gritty culture and join it. If you’re a leader, and you want the people in your organization to be grittier, create a gritty culture.”
Chapter 10 – Parenting for Grit
“Wise parenting encourages children to pursue their interests with passion and stick with things when they get hard.”
Duckworth introduces the parenting paradox: while grit is a powerful predictor of success, how do we raise children to be gritty without being authoritarian or overbearing?
She shares her own parenting journey, including her rules for her two daughters and how she balances supportive warmth with high expectations.
She draws on research by psychologist Diana Baumrind, who identified four basic parenting styles based on two dimensions:
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Demandingness (setting high standards)
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Responsiveness (being emotionally supportive)
The “wise parenting” style—high in both demandingness and responsiveness—is most effective for developing grit. Duckworth calls this the “wise parent” quadrant:
“They’re incredibly supportive and respectful, and yet uncompromising when it comes to high standards.”
She also emphasizes that children must have some choice in what they commit to. Forcing long-term activities may build obedience, but not grit.
Concrete Example: Duckworth’s household includes a “Hard Thing Rule”—each family member must do something difficult (music, writing, etc.), they must practice it seriously, and they can only quit at a natural stopping point, not impulsively.
Chapter 11 – The Playing Fields of Grit
“Childhood extracurriculars are one of the best predictors of adult success—not the number, but the commitment to just one.”
This chapter focuses on extracurricular activities—particularly structured ones—as effective laboratories for grit. Duckworth argues that when children voluntarily pursue difficult, long-term goals, they learn to persist, fail, adapt, and grow.
Duckworth presents data from Chicago Public Schools, where a student’s “follow-through score”—the number of years they stayed with a single extracurricular—was more predictive of high school graduation than GPA or attendance.
She makes it clear that breadth is less important than depth. Jumping from activity to activity is common in youth, but grit develops through sustained engagement over time, with visible progress and accountability.
“What matters for making it through Beast Barracks or surviving the rigors of law school isn’t natural talent—it’s passion and perseverance applied to something personally meaningful.”
As an example, Duckworth interviewed a theater director who could predict an actor’s future success based not on talent, but on whether they could handle rejection without giving up.
Chapter 12 – A Culture of Grit
Duckworth argues that individual grit is amplified or weakened by group culture—whether that’s a sports team, a family, a startup, or an entire nation.
She introduces the concept of norms: shared expectations about “how we do things around here.” In gritty cultures, the norm is to strive, persist, and improve—and newcomers absorb this almost unconsciously.
“If you’re surrounded by people who are gritty, you’re likely to be gritty yourself.”
Duckworth illustrates this through examples:
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Seattle Seahawks (NFL): Coach Pete Carroll built a culture of grit by emphasizing daily growth, psychological safety, and long-term thinking.
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Jeff Bezos’s Amazon: A workplace norm where relentless customer obsession and long-term ambition became cultural expectations.
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The National Spelling Bee: Families and coaches who instill consistency and focus in students from a young age.
She also discusses how cultures can support grit without becoming toxic or over-demanding. The best cultures balance high expectations with empathy and growth mindset beliefs.
Chapter 13 – Conclusion: Grit as a Life Philosophy
“To be gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
Duckworth ends with a deeply personal and reflective note. She emphasizes that grit is not just a strategy for performance—it’s a life philosophy: a way to move through the world with commitment, resilience, and purpose.
She reaffirms her belief that:
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Grit can be learned and practiced.
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Grit requires both internal drive and external support.
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Grit is not about never quitting—but knowing what to quit, and when to double down.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams—and are willing to work through the boredom, rejection, and frustration that comes with chasing them.”
She encourages readers to choose something meaningful, pursue it with deliberate effort, and surround themselves with people and cultures that support that pursuit.
Criticisms and Limitations of The Book
One concern about the book is that Duckworth may overemphasize individual responsibility and understate the role of structural barriers—such as poverty, racism, or trauma—in shaping life outcomes. In this view, grit might be wrongly applied in schools or workplaces as a “fix-the-person” strategy rather than addressing broader systemic inequalities.
Additionally, some psychologists point out that grit overlaps heavily with the Big Five trait of conscientiousness, raising questions about whether it’s truly a distinct construct. Others have noted that grit’s predictive power, while statistically significant, is often modest, explaining only a small percentage of outcome variance in studies (often R² < 0.10).
Duckworth has addressed some of these critiques directly. She emphasizes that grit is not the only thing that matters, but one important factor among many. She also cautions against using grit as a blunt instrument in policy or education, particularly with under-resourced populations.
Final Thoughts: A Quiet Commitment to What Matters
At its heart, Grit is not just about perseverance—it’s about choosing something meaningful and continuing to return to it, even when it’s difficult. Duckworth reminds us that excellence rarely arrives quickly. Instead, it’s the result of sustained effort, guided by values and fueled by a sense of purpose.
To reflect on your own journey, Duckworth offers a short “Pulse Check” through her organization, Character Lab. It’s a self-assessment that invites you to ask:
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Am I working toward something that really matters to me?
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Do I stay the course, even when it’s hard?
Pulse Check — How true are the following for you?
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I enjoy projects that take years to complete.
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I am working towards a very long-term goal.
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What I do each day is connected to my deepest personal values.
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There is at least one subject or activity that I never get bored of thinking about.
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Setbacks don’t discourage me for long.
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I am a hard worker.
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I finish whatever I begin.
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I never stop working to improve.
So, what would your answers be?
And more importantly—what would you want them to be?
Let’s reflect together in the room or leave a comment below.