The critique of your work is that kids fail because frankly, they're just not trying hard enough. I think most social scientists are well aware that there is no mythic place where life outcomes are just about your individual agency. There's no such thing as societal in opportunity or factors or luck. And you know, if there is a critique that says, hey, don't forget about the situation that's legitimate.
What does it take to persevere and succeed, not just in our careers but in all aspects of our lives? For psychologist Angela Duckworth, the answer can be summed up in one concept: grit. She explains the ingredients in grit and the experiences that make one person persist where another gives up — and offers concrete steps to instill grit early in life and sustain it.
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