Structure

The book has a three-part structure that begins with an overview of why grit matters and what it is, including a Grit Scale that individuals can take to measure their grit. After providing this background, in the second part, Duckworth delves into the four components of what gritty people possess--interest, passion, purpose, and hope. In each chapter, she explains in depth what these dimensions are and uses multiple anecdotes about people, including figures in academia, sports, business, and music, who possess these qualities. In the third section, she speaks about how children and adults can develop grit--either from the inside out or the inside out.

In this three-part structure, Duckworth moves from an understanding of the way grit works to a more applied understanding of how parents, teachers, and coaches can help children develop grit and the way in which adults can themselves develop grit. Duckworth's three-part...