Grit Book Summary

Book Summary

15 min

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Brief Summary

"Grit" by Angela Duckworth explores the concept of grit, a combination of passion and perseverance, and its role in achieving success. Through engaging stories and scientific evidence, Duckworth demonstrates that grit is a better predictor of success than talent or intelligence. The book offers practical advice on cultivating grit through a growth mindset, setting clear goals, and maintaining resilience in the face of challenges. It serves as a valuable resource for individuals seeking to develop the qualities necessary for long-term achievement and personal growth.

About the Author

Angela Duckworth is an American academic, psychologist, and popular science author. She is the Christopher H Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania where she studies grit and self-control. She is the founder and CEO of the Character Lab, a not-for-profit focused on advancing the science and practice of character development. She graduated with a degree in neurobiology from Harvard College in 1992. She also attended Oxford and graduated with an M.Sc in neuroscience on a Marshall Scholarship. She earned a PH.D in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. Her book Grit, released in 2016, was on the New York Times Bestseller List for over 20 weeks.

Topics

Self Development Psychology

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Key Insights

What’s the secret to getting to the top?

Is it talent?

Or, is it really just about believing in yourself?

In her book, “Grit”, Angela Duckworth shares her secrets to success. Duckworth puts emphasis on determination and perseverance when it comes to reaching your goal.

She tells why people often believe they are not good enough to reach their dreams and how this hinders their work efforts.

“I have a feeling tomorrow will be better is different from I resolve to make tomorrow better.”- Angela Duckwork

After reading these helpful tips from author, Angela Duckworth, you will understand why hard work is really the only thing you should be focused on when it comes to making your dreams come true.

The Talent Bias

We have all heard the saying to keep on trying even when the going gets tough. But, the truth is, as humans, we have this thing called the talent bias. We believe that the people with the most talent will naturally make their way to the top without any hard work or effort. But, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even talented people need to work hard!

In business, employers would rather hire a person with a strong work-ethic than one who is just naturally good at what they do. When the people who enjoy hard work are encountered with a new obstacle they will work to overcome it. People with natural talent, however, might be baffled and overwhelmed, which could affect the way they problem-solve.

Still, unfortunately in the job world, people are often hit with the talent-bias. Someone who is a natural people-person may seem more valuable than someone who has learned to network along the way in their career.

Effort is More Valuable Than Talent

Effort leads to skills, which then leads to results. When you put the effort into something such as a political campaign, you begin to learn things along the way, and when you learn new skills, you can utilize them and see results.

“As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.”- Angela Duckworth

If you want a formula to refer to, Talent x Effort = Skill.

Then, to expand on that formula more, Skill x Effort = Achievement.

This formula can be used when practicing anything. For example, if you are a musician and you dream of attending Julliard, you must put in the effort in order to get to that achievement. Not only do you have to practice, but you must go through the effort of applying and auditioning for a spot in the program.

Stick to Low-Level Goals

In order to keep doing what you love, creating low-level goals will help you to maintain balance and keep you motivated. Think of low-level daily goals as a path you are paving to your success.

Starting with goals that are too high, such as the end goal of being an Olympian or a famous author will only encourage you to overlook the little things that must be done along the way to get to those desired positions.

If you don’t incorporate small goals into your daily habits, the...