Angela Duckworth | 2016 | Review by Dr. S.B Adams
In many conversations across campuses, workplaces, and even family settings in Nigeria, one often hears familiar phrases such as “She’s naturally brilliant” or “He was born smart.” Talent is frequently assumed to be the primary explanation for exceptional performance. Yet this belief, widespread as it is, may offer only a partial and possibly misleading picture of what truly drives long-term achievement.
Angela Duckworth, psychologist and scholar, challenges this long-standing assumption in her influential book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Her central argument is elegantly simple but deeply disruptive:
Perhaps talent has been overrated. Perhaps the real engine of sustainable success is grit consistent passion and long-term perseverance, especially when circumstances are far from ideal.
Crucially, grit is not a trait reserved for CEOs, elite students, innovators, or high-achieving athletes. It is equally relevant for the everyday Nigerian student navigating unstable academic calendars, the civil servant working with limited resources, the young entrepreneur facing harsh market realities, and the researcher striving to publish under constrained institutional conditions.
What Exactly Is Grit?
Duckworth defines grit as a blend of sustained passion and persistent effort applied toward long-term goals. It is not simply working hard; it is working hard with purpose repeatedly, deliberately, and often without applause.
Grit is not glamorous. It rarely attracts attention. But it is often what determines who endures long enough to succeed.
Duckworth’s research highlights three core ideas:
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Talent matters, but effort matters more: twice as much.
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Passion is less about intensity and more about consistency over time.
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Grit is “growable”; it can be learned, strengthened, and reinforced.
In other words, success is not about who runs the fastest at the beginning, but who still shows up when energy is low, motivation fluctuates, and external support disappears.
The Science Behind Grit
Duckworth’s work is grounded in rigorous empirical research. Some of her most cited studies include:
(i) West Point military cadets where grit, not IQ or physical ability, predicted who endured the academy’s toughest training phases.
(ii) National Spelling Bee finalists, where long-term, deliberate practice mattered more than raw cognitive ability.
(iii) Corporate leaders and entrepreneurs, many of whom succeeded only after multiple failures and long periods without recognition.
She also touches on neuroscience: the more individuals persevere through setbacks and repetition, the more their brains reinforce habits associated with resilience, focus, and disciplined goal pursuit. Over time, perseverance becomes part of one’s identity.
Grit in the Nigerian and Developing-Country Contexts
Grit becomes particularly relevant in environments where structural limitations affect daily life and long-term prospects.
Consider the following realities:
(i) A Nigerian undergraduate balancing academics with financial constraints, intermittent strikes, inconsistent power supply, and family responsibilities.
(ii) A postgraduate researcher revising a thesis repeatedly under limited supervisory availability, scarce research infrastructure, and pressures to self-fund fieldwork.
(iii) A young professional applying for countless opportunities, jobs, grants, and fellowships while receiving more rejections or silence than replies.
(iv) Entrepreneurs navigating unpredictable markets, high operational costs, digital barriers, and fluctuating policy environments.
(v) Public servants trying to deliver results within bureaucratic and resource-constrained systems.
In such contexts, intelligence or talent alone rarely guarantees progress. What keeps individuals on course is the ability to persevere despite systemic bottlenecks, shifting policies, limited access to opportunities, and societal pressures.
In developing societies, grit is not merely a personal virtue; it is often a survival strategy.
Duckworth’s core thesis resonates here even more strongly:
Success is less about exceptional brilliance and more about sustained effort, resilience, and purpose.
Key Lessons You Can Apply Immediately
Even without reading the book, several insights stand out:
1. Effort multiplies talent
Effort builds competence. Competence repeatedly applied leads to achievement.
2. Passion is long-term, not short-lived excitement
True passion is consistent, grounded in meaning, and often discovered gradually.
3. Grit can be cultivated
It grows when individuals:
(a) adopt a growth mindset,
(b) commit to deliberate practice,
(c) seek long-term goals, and
(d) surround themselves with people who embody resilience.
4. Failure is instructive, not terminal
Setbacks help build psychological endurance and refine skills.
5. Purpose amplifies perseverance
People persist longer when they believe their work contributes to something beyond themselves—family, community, nation, or humanity.
Walking the Difficult Path
Duckworth does not romanticize grit. It is difficult, often invisible, and sometimes lonely. It demands:
(i) discipline
(ii) delayed gratification
(iii) tolerance for discomfort
(iv) resilience in the face of uncertainty
But its long-term rewards include stronger character, increased clarity, and a deeper understanding of one’s capabilities.
She reminds us:
“Our potential is one thing. What we do with it is quite another.”
In a global culture obsessed with instant achievements, viral success, and shortcuts, grit offers a counter-narrative: meaningful success takes time.
Final Verdict
⭐ Rating: 5/5 – Timeless, practical, and universally relevant
Read this if:
(i) You are a student, educator, academic, or professional seeking confirmation that struggle is part of the process;
(ii) You doubt your own talent;
(iii) You want research-based guidance rather than shallow motivation.
Skip this if:
(i) You are looking for quick fixes or overnight success formulas;
(ii) You prefer highly technical books with little storytelling.
Join the Conversation
What role do you think grit plays in Nigeria’s or Africa’s development realities?
Have systemic obstacles strengthened or weakened your own resilience?
Share your thoughts and experiences. And remember:
Success is not always reserved for the most brilliant; it is often claimed by the most persistent.
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