People have always been mesmerized by the idea of innate talent. Many well-known TV programs, such as *Voice* and *America's Got Talent*, are based on it. The main message of this kind of show is not the importance of diligence for a person’s abilities. They focus on some people with extraordinary inborn skills that have to be discovered. None of us misses a chance to witness or hear about a show where the performance seems effortless.

While working as a teacher at school, Angela Duckworth, the author of this book, made an intriguing observation. She assumed that children who were the best in class would get the highest grades. This, however, was not always the case. They surely grasped the learning material faster, but at the same time, their scores were not always on top. Kids who had trouble with understanding practiced daily and, as a result, achieved the best grades at the end of the year.

Angela's curiosity led her to transition into a career as a psychology researcher. Her goal was to find out: What is the key to achievement – talent or diligence? This research took years, during which she trained kids for the fiercely competitive Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Her research led her to a simple yet powerful conclusion. Success is not a product of natural talent we're born with, but rather the product of increasing one's diligence over time. Angela termed this specific personality trait "grit," a blend of two key components. The first is the passion for the work, which we retain even after a long time. The second one is perseverance, keeping up your best efforts, even if you don't see improvement for an extended period or fail constantly.