Answer the questions below. Then listen to the model answers and think how you could improve yours.

• ⌚ 0:12 What question is Angela Duckworth obsessed with?
• ⌚ 0:25 Where did she look the answer to this question?
• ⌚ 0:30 What two options are there?
• ⌚ 0:37 What is the popular opinion on this issue?
• ⌚ 0:51 When do we tend to discount our own effort?
• ⌚ 0:59 What has Angela found regarding talent and effort?
• ⌚ 1:08 What two equations illustrate the relationship between talent and effort?

• ⌚ 1:25 WHat is the biggest predictor of li-long achievement?
• ⌚ 1:37 Why, for some people, it is an inconvenient truth?
• ⌚ 1:47 How can it also be liberating to believe in grit?
• ⌚ 2:07 How does grit help us feel more positively about ourselves?
• ⌚ 2:22 Is being gritty easy?

• ⌚ 2:40 What is the first thing we can do to grow grit?
• ⌚ 3:07 What question should we ask ourselves?
• ⌚ 3:14 How will becoming fascinated in something help us become grittier?

• ⌚ 3:20 What is the second method of growing your grit?
• ⌚ 3:37 How did Rowdy Gaines strive to improve his swimming?
• ⌚ 3:43 What’s the common refrain of all paragons of grit?
• ⌚ 3:52 How can you seek improvement?

• ⌚ 3:56 What’s the third way to grow grit?
• ⌚ 4:19 What did Angela find through her reseach as regards pleasure and purpose?
• ⌚ 4:26 How do gritty people see their work?
• ⌚ 4:33 How does the example of a bricklayer illustrate it?
• ⌚ 4:38 Who decides if our work has meaning?

• ⌚ 4:45 What’s the last way to grow our grit?
• ⌚ 5:09 What did Bill McNab learn when he interviewed managers?
• ⌚ 5:11 What mindset do we need to scrap from our head?
• ⌚ 5:20 What does the science teach us about brain in this respect?
• ⌚ 5:23 What two things help mold the brain?

Cast your vote in the poll.

Dialogue: Breakfast Conversation About Grit

Setting: Alita and Pete are seated at a table in the hotel dining area, enjoying a hearty breakfast before their team-building mountain climb. Alita is sipping coffee, and Pete is spreading jam on a piece of toast.

Pete: (smiling) So, Alita, are you ready to conquer the mountain today?

Alita: (grinning) Absolutely! I’ve been looking forward to this all week. It’s going to be a great challenge. How about you? Feeling confident?

Pete: (laughing) Confident might be pushing it. Let’s just say I’m determined not to be the last one up there! Speaking of determination, have you ever heard of Angela Duckworth’s concept of grit?

Alita: (nodding) Of course! It’s all about perseverance and passion for long-term goals, right? I think grit is the secret ingredient to success in almost anything.

Pete: Exactly! It’s fascinating how she emphasizes that effort counts twice as much as talent. I mean, we’re not all born mountain climbers, but with enough practice and determination, we can make it to the top.

Alita: Totally agree. Talent might give you a head start, but it’s effort that keeps you going. Like today—climbing this mountain isn’t about who’s the fastest or strongest. It’s about pushing through when your legs are tired, and the summit feels far away.

Pete: (taking a bite of his toast) That’s true. But don’t you think some people rely too much on the idea of talent? It’s like an excuse not to try harder.

Alita: (thoughtfully) Yeah, it’s easier to say, “I’m just not good at this,” than to put in the work. But grit teaches us that failure is part of the process. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about showing up every day and trying to improve.

Pete: (pointing with his fork) Like that quote: “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” I love that. It’s the same mindset we’ll need on the mountain.

Alita: (laughing) Exactly! I bet halfway up, we’ll all be groaning and asking, “Why did we sign up for this?” But grit is what’ll get us through—one step at a time.

Pete: (raising his glass of orange juice) To grit and determination, then! Let’s show this mountain what we’re made of.

Alita: (clinking her coffee cup with his glass) To grit! And to proving that effort always pays off.

• Can you share a time when you faced a significant challenge and had to rely on determination to overcome it? What kept you going?

• Have you ever pursued a goal for a long time despite setbacks or slow progress? What motivated you to stay committed?

• What is one skill or ability you’ve worked hard to improve? How did consistent effort shape your progress?

• Think of a situation where you failed at something initially. How did you react, and what did you learn from the experience?

• Do you believe it’s possible to build grit if someone doesn’t naturally have it? What strategies have you used or seen others use to develop persistence and determination?