Book Notes: Angela Duckworth — Grit: Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success

People who persevere over the long run excel in business, school, and life in general. This book from the leading researcher on the topic describes how we can improve our grit and encourage it in others.

The Book

Duckworth, A. (2017). Grit: Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success. London, UK: Vermillion.

Review

Grit has become quite a hot topic in education and psychology. It describes the propensity of some people to persevere over long times, even when the going is tough and there are few or no rewards. Angela Duckworth’s research shows that business leaders, professional athletes, academics at the top of their field show high levels of grit and that grittier people do better across all fields. Fortunately, her research also shows that grit is something that can be developed. This book is an excellent overview of her research. Rather than presenting just the dry facts, the book brings the concept to life through interviews with grit paragons from different walks of life and through personal anecdotes from Dr Duckworth. There are also many practical tips on…