GRIT

Description

In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth demonstrates to parents, educators, students, and professionals, both seasoned and newcomers, that the key to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused perseverance called « grit. »

Why do some people succeed while others fail? Sharing fresh insights from her groundbreaking research on grit, the « MacArthur genius » Angela Duckworth explains that talent is far from a guarantee of success. Instead, other factors can be even more critical, such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments.

Drawing on her own compelling journey as the daughter of a scientist who frequently lamented her lack of intelligence, Duckworth describes her winding path through teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what truly drives success is not genius but a special blend of passion and long-term perseverance. As a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Duckworth established her own « character lab » and embarked on testing her theory.

Here, she takes listeners into the field to visit teachers working in some of the toughest schools, cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also extracts fascinating insights from history and demonstrates what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers, from J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to the cartoon editor of The New Yorker to Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, « Grit » is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down and how that, not talent or luck, makes all the difference.