It found a strong correlation “between grit and entrepreneurial intentions.” But what about intellect and education? The APA Dictionary of Psychology refers to recent studies suggesting that grit “may be more relevant than intelligence in determining a person’s high achievement.” Grit may predict entrepreneurial successĪccording to a study in the Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, people with grit may be more likely to pursue self-employment. Indeed, a Columbia Business School study indicates “that passion is a key ingredient of grit.” Like some entrepreneurial personality traits, grit and passion are predictors of future success. And the former keeps entrepreneurs emotionally engaged. The latter enables them to overcome obstacles instead of abandoning or switching tasks. Many entrepreneurs have both passion and grit. Likewise, people with grit can motivate themselves to push forward and progress, even after a setback or through periods of little to no forward movement. It requires self-control to focus on the big picture and stay the course. Grit means resilience, the ability to keep working towards an objective that takes months or years to complete. In addition, research published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that “the sustained interest in important long-term goals a core feature of grit.” Angela Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania Professor and co-founder, chief scientist, and board member of Character Lab, pioneered research on grit and said it involves perseverance and passion. The American Psychological Association (APA) Dictionary of Psychology defines grit as a personality trait. Learn what grit means and why entrepreneurs should cultivate this trait. However, grit also involves passion, which helps entrepreneurs find meaning and purpose.Īlthough grit is considered a personality trait, you can increase your endurance by improving your focus and goal-setting abilities. Research suggests that grit enables people to succeed through a determination to overcome adversity. Instead, it’s a trait that helps you persevere and remain focused on long-term goals. Grit isn’t just a buzzword, nor is it solely a sign of mental toughness. Psychological studies show that people with grit may be more likely to pursue an entrepreneurial path.

Define grit