Dr. Angela Duckworth left a management consulting job to become a teacher in the New York City public school system. There she became inspired to learn about grit and became a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania.  Dr. Duckworth is now a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and has built the Character Lab, which is devoted to the study of ‘grit’. Dr. Duckworth has studied grit in all kinds of people, including children through West Point Military Academy cadets. You can learn about her work on her lab webpage and by her publications available through Google Scholar.

Riddle us this: What Do Philadelphia’s NHL Mascot and a Clinical Psychologist Have in Common?

Being gritty is not just reserved for Philadelphia’s NHL mascot. Grit and perseverance are skills we learn through working with people such as parents, coaches, teachers, therapists, and ourselves. These skills allow us to continue making progress, even when the going gets tough. In therapy, clients come to therapists with problems to solve and goals to attain. Many people do not realize that therapy requires grit, because encountering difficulties is part of the problem-solving process. Share this video with your clients to understand the importance of grit and perseverance and talk with them about how they may become more “gritty” people.