Grit's Modern Grandeur

By Virginia Prescott on Thursday, July 9, 2009.
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Perserverance. Tenacity. The stuff of motivational posters. American pioneers. Captains of industry. John Wayne. The actor embodied American resolve in the 1969 classic True Grit.

Grit – Psychologist Angela Duckworth argues that the quality could be just as important as intelligence or self-esteem when it comes to making a mark on the world. That’s why In Character: A Journal of Everyday Virtues devoted its current issue to grit. It’s an attribute that psychologists like Angela are exploring in new ways.

Angela Duckworth is assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a pioneer in studying grit. She spoke with us about the trait's significance in today's world.

In Character's Interview with Angela Duckworth

Participate in UPenn's Grit Study

(Photo by philias via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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