In her Ted Talk, Angela Lee Duckworth explores the qualities she believes to be the most significant predictors of success.
Upon observing that I.Q. and success in the classroom are not necessarily related, Angela Lee Duckworth embarked on a mission to determine what was the most accurate predictor of success. After traveling to many different settings and studying countless people, Duckworth’s research finally paid off.
From West Point Military Academy to the National Spelling Bee, the one overarching quality that rose above all other predictors is grit.
Duckworth defines grit as “…passion and perseverance for very long term goals”. Grit is “living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” If it is only through studying grit that success can be predicted, then it is only through being gritty that success can be achieved, which means that ultimately, each person’s individual level of success lies solely with them. While there is certainly something to be said for having a high I.Q. and receiving high standardized test scores, it is comforting to know that our future truly does rest in our own hands.