In the late 1990s, a New York City schoolteacher named Angela Duckworth found something surprising. In her math classes, some of the kids with lower IQ scores ( 低智商分数) were getting the highest grades, and some of the smartest kids were getting the lowest grades.
To try to solve this mystery (奥秘), Duckworth began to study different people. She asked people to rate ( 评 价) themselves — for example,"I finish whatever I start." In another study, she asked people some questions such as, "Would you like to have a dollar now or two dollars tomorrow?"
From her studies, Duckworth got to know that successful people have some personality traits ( 个性特点) in common. First of all, they have self-control. A person with self-control can avoid distractions ( 避 免 分 心) and wait for something better to happen in the future. Secondly, they have"grit". People with grit work hard and don't give up. They stay with a piece of work even if it's hard, or if it takes a long time.
Is it possible to have self-control and grit? Duckworth believes so. One way is to follow the "Hard Thing"rule: choose something that is hard for you, such as learning a new language. Practice it every day, even if you don't like doing it. Don't give up! To be successful, you need to stay with it.
