Lessons from Angela Duckworth

Angela Duckworth, a renowned psychologist and author, has revolutionized our understanding of what it takes to succeed. Her research focuses on "grit," which she defines as a combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

On the Nature of Grit and Success

"Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals." [1]
"Grit is about working on something you care about so much that you're willing to stay loyal to it." [2]
"Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare." [3][4]
"Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another." [3][5]
"Grit, not just talent, leads to success." [6] Duckworth's research indicates that individuals with high levels of perseverance and passion are often more successful than those who rely on talent alone. [7]
"To be gritty is to resist complacency." [3]
"Grit is more plastic than you might think." [5] Duckworth suggests that, like other personality traits, grit can be developed and is influenced by both genetics and experience. [5]
"I won't just have a job; I'll have a calling. I'll challenge myself every day. When I get knocked down, I'll get back up." [4]
"It soon became clear that doing one thing better and better might be more satisfying than staying an amateur at many different things." [4]
"Grit is about holding the same top-level goal for a very long time." [8]

The "Effort Counts Twice" Formula

"As much as talent counts, effort counts twice." [3][6]
Duckworth proposes two simple equations to explain this: Talent x Effort = Skill, and Skill x Effort = Achievement. [9]
"Without effort, your talent is nothing more than your unmet potential. Without effort, your skill is nothing more than what you could have done but didn't." [2][3]
"With effort, talent becomes skill and, at the very same time, effort makes skill productive." [2][3]
"Effort factors into the calculation twice, not once." [5] Sustained and focused effort is what transforms potential into real-world success. [6]
"Even more than the effort a gritty person puts in on a single day, what matters is that they wake up the next day and the next, ready to get on that treadmill and keep going." [9]

Passion and Purpose

"Passion is a vital component of grit." [7] It's not just about short-term excitement but a deep, enduring interest in what you do. [7]
"Passion begins with intrinsically enjoying what you do." [3]
"It's doing what you love, but not just falling in love—staying in love." [2][5]
"Interests are not discovered through introspection. Instead, interests are triggered by interactions with the outside world." [4]
"The process of interest discovery can be messy, serendipitous, and inefficient." [3][4] You can't always predict what will capture your attention. [4]
"Purpose means 'the intention to contribute to the well-being of others.'" [5] This is a powerful motivator for gritty individuals. [5]
"At its core, the idea of purpose is the idea that what we do matters to people other than ourselves." [4]
"Find your purpose and passion. When you are deeply invested in something, you are more likely to be motivated to persevere through difficulties." [6]

Perseverance, Resilience, and Hope

"Perseverance is the ability to continue working toward your goals despite setbacks and difficulties." [7]
"One form of perseverance is the daily discipline of trying to do things better than we did yesterday." [3]
"We told them that trying to do things they can't yet do, failing, and learning what they need to do differently is exactly the way experts practice." [3]
"Failure is an inevitable part of any ambitious journey." [7] Gritty individuals see it as a valuable learning opportunity. [7]
"It isn't suffering that leads to hopelessness. It's suffering you think you can't control." [4]
"Grit depends on a different kind of hope. It rests on the expectation that our own efforts can improve our future." [2][3]
"'I have a feeling tomorrow will be better' is different from 'I resolve to make tomorrow better.'" [2][3] The hope of gritty people is tied to their own actions. [2]
"When you keep searching for ways to change your situation for the better, you stand a chance of finding them." [3]
"I learned a lesson I'd never forget. The lesson was that, when you have setbacks and failures, you can't overreact to them." [4]

Mindset and Growth

"A growth mindset, as popularized by Carol Dweck, plays a significant role in developing grit." [7]
"A growth mindset believes that abilities can be developed through effort and learning." [6] This fosters a love of learning and resilience. [6]
"Some of us believe, deep down, that people really can change...it's possible, for example, to get smarter if you're given the right opportunities and support and if you try hard enough and if you believe you can do it." [2]
"By shining our spotlight on talent, we risk leaving everything else in the shadows." [9]
"If we think of genius as something magical, we are not obliged to compare ourselves and find ourselves lacking...To call someone 'divine' means: 'here there is no need to compete.'" [2] This lets us off the hook from striving for our own potential. [2]
"You're no genius," my dad used to say... If you define genius as working toward excellence, ceaselessly, with every element of your being—then, in fact, my dad is a genius, and so am I... and, if you're willing, so are you." [2]

Practice and Improvement

"Develop deliberate practice habits." [6] This involves focused, goal-oriented effort to improve specific skills. [6]
"Greatness is doable. 'Greatness is many, many individual feats, and each of them is doable.'" (quoting sociologist Dan Chambliss) [5][9]
"Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming. They'd rather show the highlight of what they've become." [3]
"There are no shortcuts to excellence." [4] Developing real expertise takes time. [4]
"Improve yourself daily. People with grit are never satisfied with mediocrity; they always seek improvement." [10]

Cultivating Grit in Ourselves and Others

"Foster a passion." [5] A passion takes time to discover and requires staying in love with it, not just falling in love. [5]
"Follow through with your commitments." [10] Thinking about how far you've come can encourage you to continue. [10]
"Surrounding yourself with supportive and like-minded individuals can significantly boost your grit." [6]
"Parents can play a role in fostering grit by encouraging a strong work ethic and helping children develop interests." [11]
"Don't teach kids about grit without also teaching them about really having an other-centered purpose... about having moral integrity." [12]
"Grit is not enough." [13] Duckworth's more recent work explores the power of the situation and how changing our environment can make it easier to be our best selves. [13]

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