Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

The truth about Grit

Romeo Vitelli

According to psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth, author of the popular book, Grit: the Power of Passion and Perseverance and a MacArthur “genius” award winner, grit is an often-ignored psychological trait that can help explain why some individuals succeed when others with equal or greater ability do not. She also defines grit as “not just resilience in the face of failure, but also having deep commitments that you remain loyal to over many years” and argues that it can be a better predictor of long-term success than cognitive ability.  

While Duckworth and other researchers have developed a series of psychometric scales measuring grit in children and adults, it is also important to understand recent research into grit and how it can mean different things to different people. Researchers have identified two main components of grit: “perseverance of effort” and “consistency of effort.” On Angela Duckworth’s Grit Scale, perseverance and consistency are measured as subscale scores along with the overall grit score. 

Perseverance of effort (or perseverance for short) refers to the tendency to work hard even in the face of setbacks while consistency of effort means sticking to a specific goal, for years if necessary, without changing to a new goal that might seem more attainable.   Both perseverance and consistency are vital elements of the drive to succeed.  

According to Malcolm Gladwell’s famous 10,000-hour rule, true success only comes to people who are willing to put in a great many hours to become good at something they value.  Whether it involves learning a new instrument, a new language, or developing a craft, being able to deal with setbacks and stay focused on goals no matter how distant they seem. 

Read more:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/media-spotlight/201606/the-truth-about-grit

Watch Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The power of passion and perseverance 

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance

5 Characteristics Of Grit — How Many Do You Have?

Margaret M. Perlis 

1. Courage
2. Conscientiousness: Achievement Oriented vs. Dependable
3. Long-Term Goals and Endurance: Follow Through
4. Resilience: Optimism, Confidence, and Creativity
5. Excellence vs. Perfection

Read more:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/margaretperlis/2013/10/29/5-characteristics-of-grit-what-it-is-why-you-need-it-and-do-you-have-it/#520590e34f7b