Includes bibliographical references (pages 283-322) and index.

Part I: What grit is and why it matters. Showing up ; Distracted by talent ; Effort counts twice ; How gritty are you? ; Grit grows -- Part II: Growing grit from the inside out. Interest ; Practice ; Purpose ; Hope -- Part III: Growing grit from the outside in. Parenting for grit ; The playing fields of grit ; A culture of grit ; Conclusion.

Psychologist Angela Duckworth shows that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called "grit." Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. Rather, other factors can be even more crucial such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she's learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers--from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to the cartoon editor of The New Yorker to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll. Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that--not talent or luck--makes all the difference.