Self-Assessment
Grit Scale Test
Discover your level of grit: how you persevere through challenges and maintain focus on long-term goals. Based on research by Angela Duckworth.
Research-inspired adaptation · Inspired by Duckworth's Grit Scale research
What Is Grit?
Grit is the combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It's about working hard and staying committed over years, not just days or weeks.
Perseverance of Effort
Working hard despite setbacks and obstacles
Consistency of Interest
Maintaining focus on the same goals over time
Research Definition: "Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress."
Duckworth et al. (2007)
How to answer: Read each statement and select how much it describes you. There are no right or wrong answers. Be honest about who you actually are, not who you wish to be.
Your Grit Profile
Based on your responses
Where Your Score Falls
Grit scores range from 1 to 5. The original researchers caution against strict categories, but these ranges give general context.
The Two Sides of Grit
Research shows grit has two components. Understanding your pattern can reveal where you might focus.
What This Means for You
- No official cut-offs: Angela Duckworth emphasizes there are no "passing" or "failing" scores. This is a self-reflection tool, not a judgment.
- Grit can grow: Research suggests grit increases slightly with age and can be developed through deliberate practice and finding purpose in your work.
- Context matters: Your grit may vary by domain. You might be highly gritty about your career but less so about hobbies, and that's normal.
- Not for hiring: Duckworth herself warns against using grit scores for high-stakes decisions like hiring or admissions.
The Science Behind Grit
From the Research
"Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress. The gritty individual approaches achievement as a marathon; his or her advantage is stamina."
— Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101.
What Grit Is and Isn't
Grit is specifically about sustained passion and effort toward long-term goals. It's the ability to keep going when things get difficult or boring, and to maintain interest in the same goals over years rather than constantly switching directions.
Grit is not:
- Talent or intelligence — Duckworth's research found grit predicted success beyond what IQ or talent alone could explain
- Short-term willpower — It's about long-term stamina, not momentary self-control
- Obsession or stubbornness — Grit involves passion but also knowing when to adjust tactics
From the Research
"We defined grit as perseverance and passion for long-term goals, and we found that grit predicted achievement in challenging domains over and beyond measures of talent."
— Duckworth & Quinn (2009). Development and Validation of the Short Grit Scale . Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166-174.
Grit Predicts Real-World Outcomes
From the Research
"Grit predicted retention over and beyond established predictors... in each setting. Grittier soldiers were more likely to complete Special Ops training; grittier sales employees kept their jobs; grittier students were more likely to graduate; grittier men stayed married."
— Eskreis-Winkler, L., Shulman, E. P., Beal, S. A., & Duckworth, A. L. (2014). The grit effect: predicting retention in the military, the workplace, school and marriage . Frontiers in Psychology, 5:36.
Where Grit Shows Up
Research has found grit to be a meaningful predictor across diverse domains. Here are relative effect sizes from various studies (illustrative):
Based on findings from Duckworth et al. (2007) and Eskreis-Winkler et al. (2014). Effect sizes shown are illustrative of relative strength, not exact values.
From the Research
"Grit scores are associated with Big Five Conscientiousness (r = .77 for Grit-S) but the construct specifically captures the stamina dimension of achievement striving."
— Duckworth & Quinn (2009). Development and Validation of the Short Grit Scale . Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166-174.
Important Limitations
The meta-analysis by Credé et al. (2017) found that most of grit's predictive power comes from the perseverance facet, not the consistency of interest facet. The overall correlation between grit and performance is moderate (around r = 0.20-0.30), suggesting grit is meaningful but far from the only factor in success.
How We Built This Assessment
This assessment is inspired by the Grit Scale developed by Angela Duckworth and colleagues. We created original items that measure the same two-factor structure while respecting intellectual property. Our items capture:
- Perseverance of Effort: Maintaining hard work despite challenges, finishing what you start, pushing through difficulty
- Consistency of Interest: Staying focused on the same goals, not frequently changing directions, maintaining long-term commitment
Research-Based Adaptation: This assessment measures the two core facets of grit (Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest) using items we developed based on the published research framework. While not identical to the copyrighted original, our implementation captures the same psychological constructs that have been extensively validated in the literature.
Scoring Method
- 10 items total, each scored 1-5 (Not like me at all → Very much like me)
- 5 items measure Perseverance of Effort (direct scoring)
- 5 items measure Consistency of Interest (reverse-scored)
- Total grit score = average of all items (range 1-5)
- Higher scores indicate higher grit
Interpretation Ranges
Duckworth emphasizes there are no official categories. These ranges provide general context:
| Score Range | Level | General Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 - 2.4 | Lower Grit | You may benefit from building sustained focus |
| 2.5 - 3.4 | Moderate Grit | Typical range; room to strengthen either facet |
| 3.5 - 4.4 | Higher Grit | Strong tendency to persist and stay focused |
| 4.5 - 5.0 | Very High Grit | Exceptional long-term perseverance and passion |
These ranges are approximate guidelines, not validated cut-offs. Interpret your score as a starting point for self-reflection, not a definitive verdict.
Sources
- Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101.
- Duckworth, A. L., & Quinn, P. D. (2009). Development and validation of the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S). Journal of Personality Assessment, 91(2), 166-174.
- Eskreis-Winkler, L., Shulman, E. P., Beal, S. A., & Duckworth, A. L. (2014). The grit effect: predicting retention in the military, the workplace, school and marriage. Frontiers in Psychology, 5:36.
- Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., & Harms, P. D. (2017). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 492-511.
Common Questions
Yes. Research suggests grit tends to increase with age, and can be cultivated through deliberate practice, finding purpose in your work, developing a growth mindset, and building support networks. Duckworth's own research indicates grit is partly about passion, so finding work that genuinely interests you can help.
They're related but not identical. Grit correlates strongly with the Big Five trait of Conscientiousness (around r = 0.77 in some studies). However, grit specifically captures the "stamina" dimension of achievement striving, emphasizing long-term persistence and sustained passion rather than general orderliness or dependability.
Angela Duckworth explicitly advises against this. Self-report measures like the grit scale are easy to fake, and using them for high-stakes decisions like hiring or admissions could disadvantage certain groups unfairly. Grit is best used as a tool for self-reflection, not external evaluation.
About This Assessment
Research Foundation
This tool adapts the conceptual framework of the Grit Scale developed by Angela Duckworth and colleagues. We created original question wording to measure the same two-factor structure (Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest) while respecting intellectual property.
Important Limitations
- Not the official Grit Scale: The original scale is copyrighted and published under APA guidelines. Our questions are original adaptations. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Angela Duckworth, the University of Pennsylvania, or APA.
- Not validated: While our questions are based on validated research, this specific adaptation has not been independently psychometrically validated.
- Self-report limitations: Responses depend on honest self-reflection. These scores can be consciously or unconsciously biased.
Appropriate Use
This is an educational self-reflection tool. It should not be used for hiring, admissions, or other high-stakes decisions. Angela Duckworth herself has cautioned against such uses of grit assessments.