Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, has become one of the most influential voices in modern psychology through her pioneering work on grit. Her 2013 TED Talk on the topic has been viewed millions of times, and her 2016 New York Times bestselling book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, brought the concept to a global audience. At its heart, Duckworth’s research challenges the idea that talent or intelligence alone drives long-term success. Instead, she argues that a special combination of passion and perseverance what she calls grit often makes the biggest difference.
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Core Definition of Grit
Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” It is not about working hard for a few weeks or months, but about maintaining consistent effort and interest in the same overarching goal for years, even when progress feels slow, obstacles arise, or motivation fades.
She contrasts grit with short-term bursts of effort or frequently switching interests. Grit views achievement as a marathon, not a sprint. Duckworth often summarises it simply: “Grit is sticking with your future, day in and day out not just for weeks or months, but for years while working hard to make that future a reality.”
Importantly, grit is distinct from, though related to, other traits such as self-control or general conscientiousness. What sets grit apart is the presence of a single, deeply meaningful “superordinate” goal that gives direction and purpose to daily work.
How Grit Is Measured
To study grit scientifically, Duckworth developed the Grit Scale, a short self-report questionnaire (available in 8-item and 12-item versions). Respondents rate how much statements like these apply to them on a scale of 1 to 5:
- “I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge.”
- “Setbacks don’t discourage me.”
- “I finish whatever I begin.”
Some items are reverse-scored, such as “New ideas and projects sometimes distract me from previous ones.”
The scale measures two main facets:
- Perseverance of effort – working diligently and bouncing back from difficulties.
- Consistency of interests – maintaining passion for the same long-term goal over time.
Research consistently shows that the perseverance facet is often the stronger predictor of success.
Key Findings from Angela Duckworth’s Research
Duckworth and her team have tested grit across diverse high-stakes environments: West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee finalists, salespeople, teachers in challenging schools, and university students.
The major insights include:
- Grit predicts success in demanding, long-term pursuits better than or in addition to IQ, talent, or physical ability in many cases.
- Among Ivy League undergraduates, grittier students (not necessarily the smartest) earned higher GPAs.
- At West Point, grit was a powerful predictor of who would complete the brutal “Beast Barracks” summer training grittier cadets had approximately 54% higher odds of finishing.
- Grit is largely unrelated to raw talent or intelligence and in some studies, it is even negatively correlated with intelligence (smarter individuals sometimes showed less grit, possibly because they did not need to compensate with extra effort).
- Effort “counts twice” in her model of achievement:
Talent × Effort = Skill
Skill × Effort = Achievement
This explains why sustained effort compounds dramatically over time.
Later studies have shown that passion matters greatly, grit predicts performance most strongly when people are genuinely passionate about what they are doing.
Developing Grit: Is It Possible to Build?
One of Duckworth’s most hopeful messages is that grit is not fixed like some view IQ. It can be developed. She identifies four key psychological assets that support grit:
- Interest – discovering and deepening a genuine passion.
- Practice – deliberate, focused effort with immediate, informative feedback.
- Purpose – connecting daily work to a larger meaning beyond oneself.
- Hope – an optimistic, resilient mindset that believes improvement is possible through effort.
She emphasises the importance of deliberate practice, clear feedback systems, and supportive environments in building grit over time.
Criticisms and Limitations of Grit Research
While highly influential, Duckworth’s work has faced thoughtful criticism:
- Meta-analyses show that grit’s overall correlation with academic or job success is modest often weaker than intelligence, conscientiousness, or other personality factors.
- The “consistency of interests” facet sometimes shows weak or no relationship with performance.
- Some researchers argue that grit overlaps heavily with the Big Five personality trait of conscientiousness and adds limited new explanatory power.
- Critics worry that over-emphasising grit can unfairly place blame on individuals (especially those facing systemic disadvantages) for lacking “personal qualities” rather than addressing structural barriers.
Duckworth has acknowledged these points in her later work, noting that grit is valuable but not a magic bullet and that sustainable perseverance must be driven by passion rather than fear or perfectionism.
Why Grit Research Still Matters
Angela Duckworth’s work has shifted the conversation about success away from “natural talent” and toward sustained effort and passion. While grit is not the complete explanation for achievement, it offers a powerful framework for understanding why some people keep going when others stop and how that persistence often separates high achievers from the rest.
In classrooms, workplaces, sports, and personal goals, the idea of grit continues to inspire individuals and organisations to focus on building stamina, purpose, and resilience for the long haul.
Whether you are a student preparing for exams, a professional chasing a career goal, or simply someone trying to improve at something meaningful, Duckworth’s research provides both insight and practical hope: the ability to stick with what matters most may be one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
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