How gritty are you? There is a great “Grit Scale” that lets you see how you compare to others in this important ingredient of leadership. Links to the scale are provided below. Duckworth et al (2007) describe Grit as “passion for and perseverance toward especially long-term goals “; Duckworth & Gross (2014) say self-control is the alignment of “actions with any valued goal despite momentarily more alluring alternatives”.
People with higher levels of grit tend to be more successful in a variety of settings. Gritty people seek meaning, contribute to a greater purpose, and are less likely than others to be influenced by mere search of pleasure. They are optimistic and work towards meaningful outcomes.
Okay, this scale takes only minutes to complete. Give it a try. I’d love to hear your impression of your score. Go to the link below and complete the scale. Take a few minutes to also look at Duckworth’s other resources, including published research and other scales, including one to measure grit and self-control among children.
https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/
More about self-control later!
Duckworth, A. & Gross, A. (2014) Self-control and grit: Related but separable determinants of success. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(5), 319-325.
Duckworth, A., Peterson, C., Matthews, M., & Kelly, D . (2007). Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101.