Last year we explored topics related to grit, like how we can build Agency or Determination. In those episodes, we alluded to the work of Dr. Angela Duckworth, one of the world’s leading researchers on the subject of grit and author of the bestseller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. And today we have the absolute pleasure of being joined by Dr. Duckworth herself!

Much of our success in life comes down to our ability to identify the things we’re passionate about, pursue them with consistency, and keep going when things get tough. Anyone can be passionate and productive for a few days, or when things are easy. But to keep going day after day when the weather gets rough? That’s when we need grit.

Last year we explored topics related to grit, like how we can build Agency or Determination. In those episodes we alluded to the work of Dr. Angela Duckworth, one of the world’s leading researchers on the subject of grit and author of the bestseller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.

And today we have the absolute pleasure of being joined by Dr. Duckworth herself!

Outside of being a bestselling author, Dr. Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of the non-profit Character Lab. Dr. Duckworth has also given an incredibly popular TED talk on the subject of grit that’s been watched over 20 million times.

On this episode, we talk with Dr. Duckworth about:

• The balance of passion and perseverance that makes up grit.
• Other factors that support this key resource.
• What we can do to develop grit

Timestamps:

• 1:45: What is grit?
• 2:10: Where did your interest in grit come from?
• 4:00: How did you find a sense of purpose?
• 6:45: Is passion or purpose more important?
• 9:45: Are there other factors that support grit?
• 11:30: Does grit feel good?
• 13:15: How much of what makes us gritty is changeable?
• 16:00: Can grit be found in communities?
• 18:45: Developing grit.
• 22:45: How can we find passions?
• 25:15: Helping children develop passions.
• 30:30: How has your research been misunderstood or misused?
• 32:00: How passion and perseverance support one another.
• 33:40: How has your work changed your life personally?
• 35:45: Comparison is the thief of joy.
• 38:45: Three suggestions for teaching children.