Grit

According to psychologist and author Angela Duckworth, “Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another”. In her book “Grit”, she says that talent is not the sole determinant of a person’s ability to succeed at an endeavor. A particularly important trait is their “grit”, which is a combination of perseverance and tenacity at a specific goal or achievement, over time. The level of grit of a person helps them make the most of their innate talent and can be a strong determinant of whether they accomplish goals such as finish high school or college, get through grueling military training, or become successful at their chosen career even in the face of obstacles.
 
The book can be a bit academic and there is a lot of information which might get overwhelming at times, but the overall message is a really important one for students, parents, teachers and anyone who is interested in human potential. Grit can help you succeed whether you are aiming to be a successful student, employee or Olympic athlete. While I disagree with the basic premise that if you happen to have multiple passions, or lose interest and move on to new areas of focus, that you lack the grittiness to succeed, I do like the concept that your success at a goal depends to a large degree on something entirely within your control – the ability to persevere in the face of obstacles and setbacks. It is a book packed with suggestions and advice for becoming grittier oneself and helping others to acquire grit. Definitely a book you will want to read more than once!

I found this book very inspiring and it will stay with me for a long time. In fact I may well read it a second time once I've had time to absorb the contents and think it through some more.

It's well written with a good balance of scientific evidence and personal anecdotes. I found the author's assertion that our grit level changes in life normally and can also change intentionally if an individual would like to be 'grittier'. As she says 'who wants to be less gritty'? It has left me feeling more determined to pursue some things I've always intended and wanted to do but haven't achieved despite approaching retirement age. Learn to play the piano....write a novel...

The book has also left me with many questions I'd like to ask the author.

This brilliant book encapsulates everything noble and true about stick-a-bility. You will learn how to devise strategies to help students learn how to work hard and adapt in the face of temptation, distraction, and defeat. A person is effective to the degree that they are able to concentrate. This book is mandatory reading for ALL students, freshmen and graduates. But sadly it will be lost on the very students that would benefit from Angela Lee Duckworth's genius, because they would have had to develop these strategies to read through the whole book. And todays youth lamentably are not serious prodigiously, voracious readers at all. They are glued to their mobiles and iPhones and assiduously only concentrate on trite and cursory reading . This book is about the power of Grit to help you achieve your potential. What we accomplish in the marathon of life depends on our grit--our passion and persistence for long-term goals. An obsession with talent distracts us from that simple truth.My favourite quote in the whole book is:"You can grow your grit from the inside out. You can cultivate your interests. You can develop a habit of daily challenge--exceeding-skill pra ctice. You can connect your work to a purpose beyond yourself. And you can learn to hope when all seems lost. Parents, teachers, bosses, mentors, friends----developing your personal grit depends on other people."
There is even a Grit questionnaire-to assess how gritty you are. I scored 99%.
Grit is a best seller. Dr Duckworth has a PhD, she's a MacArthur Fellow---a certified 'genius'. How do I even dare measure up to her gigantic intellect, with an attempt at critiquing her phenomenal brain power?
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the support and encouragement I have had in reading this coruscating book,And it is a measure of my gratitude and great pleasure that I submit my honest and unbiased review.