Angela Duckworth had a rough start with her first class in neurobiology – she failed the first two exams. She was advised to drop the course. But she refused to quit. Instead she believed that she could figure it out if she worked harder and got more help. It was a good decision: she ended up majoring in neurobiology, getting a PhD in psychology and writing a book titled Grit. My students love this book because its exploration of why some people succeed and others fail concludes that in the long run, IQ and talent matter less than effort and perseverance.
Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner, 2016, p.170.