According to psychologist Angela Duckworth, giving young people opportunities to become “gritty kids”—a winning combination of passion and perseverance—facilitates later success. In her book, Grit: A New Psychology of Success, she describes research demonstrating that extracurricular activities such as music, dance, and sports are ideal for developing grit because they’re structured, challenging, intrinsically motivating, led by adults, and require long-term commitment for improvement. Once grit is developed, this trait can be applied to all of teens’ endeavors.
Many young people are passionate about sports and already look up to, if not idolize, athletes. So why not point out how grit has been responsible for their successes? Take Katie Ledecky, for example, the swimming powerhouse who in July 2021 won a gold medal in the first-ever women’s 1500-meter Olympic event. This achievement in the longest, most grueling Olympic swimming race is even more remarkable because just an hour before she suffered two disappointing losses races for which she had won gold medals in the previous Olympics.
To get past these defeats, marshal her emotional and physical stamina, and get her head in the next race—just one hour later—required extraordinary grit. In interviews, Katie spoke of having “to turn the page quickly.” To do so, she first sought her coach’s guidance and support. Next, Katie consciously thought about her four grandparents, whose toughness had always inspired her. Other female athletes overcome setbacks, hardships, and major injuries to excel in their sports. The determination and perseverance gritty kids demonstrate can inspire your teen’s efforts in all her endeavors, whether in art, music, sports, or school.