Book · 2016
Grit
by Angela Duckworth
A psychologist studies West Point cadets, spelling bee kids, and salespeople to find one trait that predicts who finishes what they start.
What does Reddit think of Grit?
Fourteen recognized references in seven years, and Grit rarely gets its own paragraph. r/selfimprovement's clearest endorsement (↑68) is short: it zeroes in on perseverance and backs that up with real-world examples. r/productivity's version (↑54) recommends the book in one sentence, then immediately hedges in the next, noting that much depends on temperament and that wanting to do something isn't the same as it being right for you. r/getdisciplined doesn't cite the book directly so much as Duckworth's TED talk, bundled into a link list alongside talks on conversation and leadership (↑243). The rest of the sample sits in longer replies to people feeling behind in life, the 22-year-olds and career-changers, where Grit appears to be one recommendation among several rather than the argument itself. Nobody here is fighting about the book; nobody's built a case against it either. It shows up, gets named, and the conversation moves on.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · Perseverance backed by real-world examples rather than abstract theory
- · Recommended with an immediate hedge about temperament and individual fit
- · Duckworth's TED talk standing in for the book in link-list advice
- · A supporting recommendation inside longer general life-advice threads
Common praise
- + r/selfimprovement (↑68) says it zeroes in specifically on perseverance and backs that up with real-world examples, not just theory.
- + Duckworth's own TED talk gets bundled into a curated getdisciplined advice list (↑243) next to talks on conversation and leadership, treated as worth the same click.
- + Gets recommended directly by name in two separate subs (r/selfimprovement and r/productivity) rather than only surfacing as a passing reference.
Common criticism
- − The r/productivity recommender (↑54) qualifies their own suggestion in the same breath, warning that outcomes depend heavily on temperament.
- − Only 14 recognized references across seven years means this sample is thin enough that a single comment can swing the picture.
Who it's for
Want the case for sticking with something made in the same breath as a caveat about whether it'll actually work for you? That's the r/productivity recommendation here, hedge and all. If you'd rather watch than read, Duckworth's TED talk gets slotted into a getdisciplined advice list next to talks on leadership and conversation, so that's a lower-commitment entry point. Feeling behind at 22 and getting told accomplishment takes years is the kind of thread this book turns up in, more often as a supporting citation than the main argument.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Grit?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“It sounds like you are lonely and that most of your problems center around the lack of human connection. So Here's what to do: 1. Become more social. Find 2-3 social hobbies that force you to interact with other humans. 2. Work on your sense of self worth. Go to therapy, or read the best self-help…
“10 ways to have a better conversation Grit: The power of passion and perseverance [How great leaders inspire action](https…
“I have two amazing books on this topic! This quote is one of my favorites because it's an honest highlight of how real work, mastery, and progression actually work IRL. The first book is called "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle, who cracked the code about how talent works: (I recommend the audiobo…
“This is my productivity reading list: * David Allen, *How to Get Things Done* \-- the classic productivity system. Start here. * Stephen R. Covey, *The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* \-- self-help classic that should also be early on in your reading. * Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, *Make Time…
“First of all, at 22, I know this sounds silly, but your brain is still adapting to being an adult and you have to accept that you're shaking off the last dustings of adolescence. So, your mind has all the tra…
“OP; you aren’t a failure. 22 is YOUNG. I’m 42 and a trauma surgeon, leader in my hospital. I am JUST NOW beginning to feel like I’ve accomplished something with my life. Accomplishment - real accomplishment - comes from years and years and years of work. And “work” in this context doesn’t mea…
“_Grit_ by Angela Duckworth. It really zeroes in on perseverance and offers lots of real world examples.
“I recommend the book “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. Also the book “better than before” by Gretchen Rubin about temperament. Much might depend on your temperament, which I don’t know, so advice might be a waste of time. I will say that one basic thing is just because you feel like doing something doe…
“I read Angela Duckworth's book Grit, and kids who are disciplined at a young age, are modeling after their parents. You can have a very successful person who is, by most standards average intelligence because their default mode, was more successful habits. So, to be disciplined is to just start doin…
“Tracked down the book, FYI it's Grit, by Angela Duckworth. Here's the direct quote. > In a meeting with Bill and Melinda Gates, I had an opportunity to explain my perspective in person. Learning to follow through on something hard in …
“The science of self efficacy has four components: 1. Practice - you need actual experience doing the thing you want to be confident in. Practice makes progress. 2. Vicarious Learning - learn from the people who are already doing that thing you want to do confidently. Finding a mentor is a great wa…
“Resilience and luck are for more important. Angela Duckworth does a lot of research on Grit, which she describes as sticking to a task despite setbacks. A lot of people got really interested in her research because she was able to show that her Grit Scale had a more predictive accuracy for things l…
“Two wrong presuppositions there: 1. we need motivation 2. things come easy The truth is: no motivation needed (it's an excuse), and things are hard AF.
Convinced? Pick up Grit
What else does r/productivity read?
Other books mentioned in the same sub, ranked. Shared-sub overlap with this title breaks ties.
Guides featuring Grit
Ranked best-of lists and editorial guides where this book's tracked mentions place it.
Grit — frequently asked
Does Reddit recommend reading Grit or just watching Angela Duckworth's TED talk?+
Both show up, but not in the same place. r/getdisciplined's displayed link list (↑243) points to the TED talk directly, bundled with talks on conversation and leadership. r/selfimprovement (↑68) and r/productivity (↑54) recommend the book itself by name, so this small sample doesn't show one clearly winning over the other.
Does Grit actually work, according to Reddit?+
The person recommending it most directly (↑54, r/productivity) hedges immediately: results depend heavily on temperament, and wanting to do something isn't proof it's right for you. That's a real endorsement paired with a real caveat, not an unqualified yes.
Who talks about Grit on Reddit?+
Mostly r/selfimprovement and r/productivity, plus one r/getdisciplined mention of the related TED talk and a single r/cscareerquestions reference. With only 14 recognized references across seven years, it's a small, scattered footprint rather than a book with a dedicated fanbase in one sub.