Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What factors might determine one’s success? How much does one’s talent determine how successful they are? How much does one’s goal setting determine their level of success? What effect might one’s mindset have on their success? How often do you think successful people have failed on their journeys to achieve their goals?

Teaching Suggestion: In the book Grit, Angela Duckworth shares research that shows that effort, goal setting, and perseverance are key factors in determining success. Other factors such as skill and intelligence are secondary to a person’s success and alone cannot determine achievement. Consider discussing what students think determines success prior to reading the articles.

• This article suggests ways to measure success; how might these ideas translate to personal success?
• This article explains the role of attitude and positivity in obtaining success.

Short Activity

Use the West Point Grit Scale to assess your propensity toward grit.

Teaching Suggestion: According to the author, “grit” is a skill that can be developed and acquired using her methodology.