Why Grit, Why Now

“I am not afraid to die on a treadmill,” says actor Will Smith. He goes on to proclaim that he may not be the smartest man, the most handsome man, or the most talented man; however, he IS the hardest working man. “If you put me on a treadmill next to someone else, then they will get off first. Or, I will die on the treadmill!” This kind of tenacity is what Angela Duckworth calls “grit.” In September Project VOYCE sent a large group of students to the Denver Public Schools’ presentation “Why Grit, Why Now” with Angela Duckworth. Her research explores the psychology behind achievement, grit and self control. A vast amount of data shows that grit does make a big difference in students’ success; but the big question is how do you TEACH grit to young people! Project VOYCE met with some of Angela’s team from the University of Pennsylvania and The Character Lab to explore that question and talk about ways to collaborate on our work.