WATCH: The Surprising Trait That's MUCH More Important Than IQ

Never give up! It's more than just a platitude. In her extensive research, psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth found the #1 predictor of a person's success.
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UPDATE: Angela Lee Duckworth weighs in on the outpouring of comments inspired by her talk.

"In response to just a few of the thoughtful comments... I agree that luck and talent also matter. I happen to think kids often underestimate the importance of hard work and sticking with things, but of course, hard work without any ability or good fortune doesn't yield results, either. As for success being more than good grades or accomplishment generally, I concur. I want to be a success (personally), but I also want to be honest and kind. So, it's probably more accurate to consider grit as a determinant (among others) of achievement than of any broad conception of success."

Never give up! It's more than just a platitude. In her extensive research, psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth found that more than IQ or talent or any other factor, the #1 predictor of a person's success is their unflagging commitment to a long-term goal... in other words, their grit. Find out why...

This post has been updated from a previously published version.

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Click here to listen to Angela Lee Duckworth's segment on NPR's TED Radio Hour program, or use the player below.

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