There are so many cultural references to this. It's as if at some level society feels an important urge that this message has to be instilled in kids, I think of Jimmy Cliff's wonderful song. Well, can we actually edge in a little bit of luck here? There is a complaint about this grit narrative that says, wait a second, what about good luck? And what about bad luck? The human mind is not very good at taking in lots of things at once.
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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