Grit is a 2016 book by Angela Duckworth describing the eponymous psychological trait. According to Duckworth, grit is a combination of passion and perseverance. That is, to display grit, we have to be willing to work hard (even in the face of setbacks) toward a goal, and we must care deeply about the goal we are working toward. The book claims that grit is an incredibly powerful predictor of success in academics and other domains, and can even be a stronger predictor than things like intelligence or talent.
I appreciated this book for what it is — a pop psych book. I think acknowledging the genre, and all that’s implicit in this genre, is necessary for understanding the book. Yes, some of the findings are probably overstated. Yes, many of the examples in the book are anecdotal. These are features of pop psych books. And although they may not be features of great science, they do make for a more compelling book. So we just kinda need to keep all of this in mind when reading the book, particularly when interpreting the claims.
With that in mind, I enjoyed reading the book. The notion of grit resonates with me, and I came away with ideas about how I can adjust my own life to be grittier. Even if the effects of grit aren’t as large as Duckworth claims, becoming grittier still seems worth it. The downside seems…nonexistent? Same with the opportunity cost.