The Nitty on Being Gritty: What It Really Takes To Reach Your Goals

Grit is a term made popular by Angela Duckworth from the University of Pennsylvania. She has launched a conversation about the relationship between grit, the tendency to maintain interest and effort in long-term goals, and self-control — what it takes to stay focused in the presence of temptations or diversions. Her exceptional research has earned her the MacArthur Fellowship in 2013, perhaps one of the most prestigious awards given. In fact, it is commonly nicknamed the ‘Genius Grant.’ Following this honor, her book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, was an instant New York Times bestseller. Duckworth and her colleague devised a measure of grit and self-control that predicted successful outcomes in different situations better than other measures such as standardized testing. Grit scores predicted final ranking in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and graduation from Chicago public schools. Additionally, she found measures of self-control are better predictors than IQ of both report card grades and improvement in these grades. But grit and self-control aren’t just for children, Duckworth also found grit scores at West Point Military Academy predicted final rankings. These are important findings because much of psychology focused on IQ and other academic scores in the scramble to understand success. The emphasis on non-intellectual factors like grit is a game changer. It puts the spotlight on one’s character as a central feature of developing skills ov...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Books Motivation and Inspiration Proof Positive Self-Esteem Self-Help Success & Achievement Ambition competition goal-setting Resilience Source Type: blogs