Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

“I kept wanting to read this book aloud-to my child, my husband, to everyone I care about. There are no shortcuts to greatness, it’s true. But there is a roadmap, and you are holding it.” (Amanda Ripley, New York Times bestselling author of The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way)

“Grit is a persuasive and fascinating response to the cult of IQ fundamentalism. Duckworth reminds us that it is character and perseverance that set the successful apart.” (Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers)

“Psychologists have spent decades searching for the secret of success, but Angela Duckworth is the one who found it. In this smart and lively book, she not only tells us what it is, but also how to get it.” (Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness)

“A contemporary classic—a clarifying and deeply-researched book in the tradition of Stephen Covey and Carol Dweck. For anyone hoping to work smarter or live better, Grit is an essential—and perhaps life-changing—read.” (Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human)

“Fascinating. Angela Duckworth pulls together decades of psychological research, inspiring success stories from business and sports, and her own unique personal experience and distills it all into a set of practical strategies to make yourself and your children more motivated, more passionate, and more persistent at work and at school.” (Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed)

“This book will change your life. Fascinating, rigorous, and practical, Grit is destined to be a classic in the literature of success.” (Dan Heath, co-author of Made to Stick, Switch, and Decisive)

“Utterly captivating, inspiring and original...Once you pick up Grit, you won’t be able to tear yourself away.” (Amy Cuddy, Harvard Business School professor and author of Presence)

“Enlightening...Grit teaches that life’s high peaks aren’t necessarily conquered by the naturally nimble but, rather, by those willing to endure, wait out the storm, and try again.” (Ed Viesturs, Seven-Time Climber of Mount Everest and author of No Shortcuts to the Top)

“Readable, compelling and totally persuasive. The ideas in this book have the potential to transform education, management and the way its readers live. Angela Duckworth’s Grit is a national treasure.” (Lawrence H. Summers, Former Secretary of the Treasury and President Emeritus at Harvard University)

“Masterful...Grit offers a truly sane perspective: that true success comes when we devote ourselves to endeavors that give us joy and purpose.” (Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive)

In her instant, multi-month New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” “Inspiration for non-geniuses everywhere” (People).

The daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her lack of “genius,” Angela Duckworth is now a celebrated researcher and professor. It was her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience that led to her hypothesis about what really drives success: not genius, but a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance.

In Grit, she takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.

“Duckworth’s ideas about the cultivation of tenacity have clearly changed some lives for the better” (The New York Times Book Review). Among Grit’s most valuable insights: any effort you make ultimately counts twice toward your goal; grit can be learned, regardless of IQ or circumstances; when it comes to child-rearing, neither a warm embrace nor high standards will work by themselves; how to trigger lifelong interest; the magic of the Hard Thing Rule; and so much more. Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference. This is “a fascinating tour of the psychological research on success” (The Wall Street Journal).