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  • Grit

  • The Power of Passion and Perseverance
  • By: Angela Duckworth
  • Narrated by: Angela Duckworth
  • Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,956 ratings)
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Grit cover art

Grit

By: Angela Duckworth
Narrated by: Angela Duckworth
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Summary

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Why do naturally talented people frequently fail to reach their potential while other far less gifted individuals go on to achieve amazing things? The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a passionate persistence. In other words, grit.

MacArthur Genius Award-winning psychologist Angela Duckworth shares fascinating new revelations about who succeeds in life and why. Based on her cutting-edge research, Duckworth shows how many people achieve remarkable things not just by relying on innate natural talent but by practising what she calls grit. She then offers a Grit Formula to help anyone to become grittier, focusing on six key factors: hope, effort, precision, passion, ritual and prioritisation.

She reveals:

  • Why people who test high for talent often fail to achieve their potential and why people who do not test high for talent often overachieve what others expect them to do
  • How grit can be learned, whatever your IQ or circumstances
  • Why stubbornness is a key characteristic of gritty people
  • When to be stubborn and when giving up is the grittiest thing you can do
  • How gritty people found their passion and you can find yours
  • How gritty experts practise and how you can do the same in your own life
  • What the people who care about you can do to boost your grit when you need it most
  • How grit is cultivated in the highest-performing sports teams, companies and schools

Leaping past clichés such as 'success is all about hard work', Grit offers a fresh and motivating way to climb to heights far beyond what natural talent would predict.

©2016 Angela Duckworth (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

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What listeners say about Grit

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I found the Ted talk more helpful

I have every respect for the investigations Angela Duckworth has performed and I agree with her conclusion that grit matters more than talent. The first part of the book is an outline of the evidence she has gathered to support her theory. I found it more detailed that needed and I may have skipped ahead if I had realised how extensive her presented evidence would be. In part 2 she states that grit can be grown. Sadly the only helpful advice I gleaned was to consider resilience training through cognitive behavioral therapy. She echoes advice from 'feel the fear' and habit forming books like 'the power of habit' and 'the willpower instinct' and 'the practicing mind'. She also calls on Barbera Oakley's investigations on learning and neural plasticity with particular emphasis on deliberate practice and not allowing yourself to give up. Personally I feel Oakley's free online 'learning how to learn' course is more practical and informative. I picked up this audio book looking for practical advice. I did enjoy the book however it's more theory and examples than an outline on how to become gritty. I intend to look into resilience training through cbt and I am very grateful for Angela Duckworth's research, and particularly her TED talk. It has provided a lot of encouragement and reminded me that failure isn't final, it's an opportunity to learn.

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73 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not a lot of practical advice

I did enjoy the book, but is mainly theory followed by examples. There is very little practical or actionable advice.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellen t Book

If you could sum up Grit in three words, what would they be?

A very interesting book well read by the original researcher on the subject of grit. I recommend it to everyone. One problem is noted with the audiobook though - many references are made to the accompanying PDF with this audiobook, which however is not present.

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10 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Boring

This book was slow, dull and lacking insight. The narration wasn't pleasing to the ear and the style of writing was awkward. Fairly simple points made laboriously. Didn't listen to the end.

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8 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Lots of grit needed to listen through the tedium

Would you try another book written by Angela Duckworth or narrated by Angela Duckworth?

Not in the audible format but perhaps in paper/kindle form.

What could Angela Duckworth have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Less personal anecdotes and a more balanced overview of the counterarguments rather than the feel of 'gospel' that is preached here. A wider set of examples too, as predominantly the ones recited were rather academic.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Angela Duckworth?

Perhaps a professional narrator. Brilliant academics might not necessarily be brilliant narrators.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Yes- There were some fascinating studies that were discussed and well researched. There was plenty of detail and plenty of hours to listen to, which is value for money for the credits. There was certainly a real human element to the stories that would appeal to many readers (just not what I personally was looking for). The issue was the repetition of many key points. If the book was edited somewhat and abridged, it would have made a sharper, more incisive read and carried more weight. There were definitely some takeaways from the book

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Essential for parents, teachers, leaders and anyone who wants to understand achievement

This book confounded my expectations. I didn't expect to hear so much about joy and passion. I didn't expect to see so much of myself when the author describes the pitfalls of those who don't develop enough grit at a young age. I did expect to feel a little downhearted at the end; as someone not greatly gritty I worried this would be a terrible few hours of self flagellation.

In the end I felt inspired. This book will help me to better myself and to be better at my job and as an uncle and future father.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic & inspirational

Revelating book read by a kind voice, feels like talking to an inspirational friend! Highly recommended for those who have not yet found their calling or for those in need of motivation to keep going. Fantastic!

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautifully read, wonderfully written

A really practical and useful model, impressively well research and beautifully presented. A real find and a seminal work.

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3 people found this helpful

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Great!

Goes into much more detail than any talks, interviews or articles you might have read. Includes specific, actionable advice. Littered with anecdotes, research references and examples. Definitely a recommended read for anyone with an interest in the effects of perseverance and passion, and how to grow these for ourselves and others.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Exceptional book - highly recommend

This book is well written with refreshingly new ideas. It is devoid of the cliches of this genre. It provides reasoned and often evidenced based arguments for what it professes. There are few who would not both enjoy and benefit from this book.

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2 people found this helpful