What does it take to accomplish your goals? Some people think it’s mostly about luck, smarts, good looks, and social connections. Nope. Researcher Angela Lee Duckworth studied West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee contestants, teachers in tough schools, and sales peoples, asking who would succeed and why. “In all those very different contexts one characteristic […]

Starting things is simple. It’s progress that’s hard. Nothing makes that truth come alive like looking back on your week and seeing what didn’t get finished. When we begin a project there’s all kinds of enthusiasm. We’re energized by that surge of excitement that comes from novelty and our own creativity. But that surge is […]

Success has many determining factors, including dumb luck. But I’ve been thinking of one lately that’s largely indispensable and totally learnable—persistence. Have you ever felt like bailing on that one thing you know you’re supposed to do?

Sometimes, success is simply a matter of making a little extra effort. When you do, it becomes the difference between success and failure.