Do you want to succeed? Get Gritty

As her life was nearing the end with a terminal diagnosis, a mother shared about her adult children. She did not worry about the “hard workers.” She was worried about “the smart one.” Her daughter got by in school without having to work hard, and seemed to float through life in the same way. Now she worried that she was “too smart for her own good.”

Why do some people succeed and others don’t? If intelligence alone is not enough, then what is the elusive factor that leads to success? How can we access it to achieve more success in our life? How can we teach it to our children?

In her research as a psychologist, Angela Duckworth tells us that elusive factor is “GRIT.” She defines “grit” as passion and perseverance for the long term.

How can we “get gritty?”

Check out Angela Duckworth’s book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and watch her TED talk below.

Elements of Grit

• Find an interest that can grow into a passion.
• Engage in deliberate practice.
• Connect your goals and your purpose.
• Believe that your efforts can create a better tomorrow.

Watch the TED talk on “Grit” by Angela Duckworth.