It was this combination of passion and perseverance that made high achievers special. In a word, they had grit.
-- Angela Duckworth (One paragraph 4)

Importance: This is the author's formulation of what grit is and what makes people successful in a wide range of fields. She repeatedly returns to the idea that both passion and perseverance are critical in growing grit and that high achievers are special not because they are born with innate talent but because they have the drive to push themselves to achieve. Passion and perseverance explain people's achievements in a wide range of fields, including school, business, music, and sports. Perseverance alone is not enough, and passion alone is not enough. Instead, people must have the passion to continue, through perseverance, to improve their performance.

I'd been distracted by talent.
-- Angela Duckworth (Two paragraph 4)

Importance: In this quote, the author admits that she has made a fundamental mistake as a teacher in believing talent rather than hard...