June 29, 2025

Grit by Angela Duckworth

Decision-making, Leadership, Values

A Compelling Read

Why do some people succeed in their chosen field, overcoming significant obstacles, while others fail to achieve? In her best-selling book Grit: Why Passion and Resilience are the Secrets to Success; Angela Duckworth explores the role of perseverance and passion in achieving success. Duckworth argues that grit, more than talent or intelligence, is the key determinant of high achievement.

She defines grit as a combination of sustained passion and relentless effort toward long-term goals, emphasising that effort counts twice in the success equation:

“Talent is how quickly your skills improve when you invest effort. Achievement is what happens when you take your acquired skills and use them.”^[i]

Duckworth identifies four psychological components of grit: interest, practice, purpose, and hope. She illustrates these principles with real-world examples from education, military training, and business, demonstrating that individuals who persist through challenges tend to outperform those who rely solely on natural ability.

1. Interest:

A deep and enduring passion for your pursuits is essential. People are more likely to persevere if they pursue a purpose in which they are genuinely interested and invested.

2. Practice:

Consistent and deliberate practice is crucial for improvement. Duckworth highlights the importance of dedicating time to methodically refine your skills.

3. Purpose:

Connecting work to a greater purpose enhances motivation. When people consider their efforts meaningful and contributing to the well-being of others, they are more likely to persist.

4. Hope:

A resilient attitude that sustains effort despite challenges. Hope involves a growth mindset, where individuals believe their abilities can improve with effort.

As Duckworth explains,

“The four psychological assets of interest, practice, purpose, and hope are not “You have it or you don’t” commodities. You can learn to discover, develop, and deepen your interests. You can acquire the habit of discipline. You can cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning. And you can teach yourself to hope. You can grow your grit from the inside out.”^[ii]

Developing Grit

Duckworth asserts that grit is not a fixed trait but can be developed over time. She suggests several strategies for cultivating grit:

● Cultivating Interests:

Encouraging exploration to discover passions. Duckworth advises allowing individuals, especially children, to try various activities to identify what genuinely interests them.

● Fostering a Growth Mindset:

Emphasizing that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This perspective encourages resilience and a love for learning.

● Encouraging Deliberate Practice:

This strategy promotes structured and purposeful practice routines. Key components include setting specific goals, seeking feedback, and focusing on areas for improvement.

● Connecting to Purpose:

Helping individuals see how their work contributes to a larger mission can enhance perseverance. Understanding the impact of one’s efforts on others can also help.

Critiques and Considerations

While Duckworth’s concept of grit has been influential, it has also faced criticism. Some researchers argue that grit is not distinctly different from personality traits like conscientiousness. Others caution against overemphasising individual effort without considering systemic factors that affect success. Duckworth acknowledges these critiques and emphasises that grit is one piece of the success puzzle, interacting with other factors such as opportunity and support.

The Power of Purpose in Cultivating Hope

While perseverance is crucial in our ability to move forward, according to Duckworth, hope is a key ingredient to every stage of growing in grit.

“Hope is a rising-to-the-occasion kind of perseverance. In this book, I discuss it after interest, practice, and purpose—but hope does not define the last stage of grit. It defines every stage. From the very beginning to the very end, it is inestimably important to learn to keep going even when things are difficult, even when we have doubts. At various points, in big ways and small, we get knocked down. If we stay down, grit loses. If we get up, grit prevails.”^[iii]

A compelling read

Grit is about more than just success—it’s about showing up, putting in the work, and believing that effort matters. Duckworth makes a powerful case that talent alone doesn’t cut it; persistence, passion, and a sense of purpose drive achievement. And the best part? Grit isn’t something you either have or don’t have—it’s something you can grow.

I work with organisational leaders worldwide and can attest that the ability to develop resilience or “grow grit” in hard times is a major indicator of longevity and ultimate success in life and business.

Sure, there are critics, and no single trait guarantees success, but Grit is an inspiring read that leaves you thinking, What if I just kept going? And maybe, just maybe, that’s the secret after all.

Are you leading a team or organisation through change, challenge, or growth?

At LCP Global, we help leaders cultivate grit, resilience, and long-term performance—without losing sight of what matters most. If this review resonated with you, we’d love to start a conversation.

Connect with us to explore how we can support you or your leadership team. Reach out via our Contact page or send us a message right here on LinkedIn.

Let’s grow something enduring—together.

#LeadWithPurpose #LCPGlobal #LeadershipResilience #ExecutivePerformance

References

^[i] Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (p. 51). (Function). Kindle Edition.

^[ii] Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (p. 109). (Function). Kindle Edition.

^[iii] Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (pp. 108-109). Ebury Publishing. Kindle Edition.

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