Harvard researcher Angela Duckworth isolated two qualities that she thought might be a better predictor of outstanding achievement:
1) The tendency not to abandon tasks from mere changeability. Not seeking something because of novelty. Not “looking for a change.”
2) The tendency not to abandon tasks in the face of obstacles. Perseverance, tenacity, doggedness.
she developed a test to measure it – the grit test and she found it was remarkably predictive of success. – the test is below
https://sasupenn.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_06f6QSOS2pZW9qR
Score
Tegan – 4.7 (top 10%)
Damo – 4.3 (top 10%)
Deb – 5.0 (top 10%)
When interviewing Damon Kelly one of his pieces of advice was that “weightlifting is a marathon not a sprint”
Grit is defined as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Essentially, the Grittier person is focused on winning the marathon, not the sprint.
Individuals high in Grit are able to maintain their determination and motivation over long periods despite experiences with failure and adversity.
Further reading
http://thebamalliance.com/blog/grit-is-critical-to-your-success-dan-solin/