Top psychologist says all elite achievers have one thing in common—and it's not an innate ability like brains or talent

After years of studying high achievers across diverse fields, top psychologist Dr. Angela Duckworth has identified what she calls the most reliable predictor of success—and it challenges conventional wisdom about talent and intelligence. Author Mel Robbins , who has 4.6 million subscribers on YouTube , recently asked Duckworth about her findings during a recording of her podcast, released Monday.

“The common denominator of high achievers, no matter what they’re achieving, is this special combination of passion and perseverance for really long-term goals,” Duckworth explains. “And in a word, it’s grit.”

Duckworth, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and MacArthur Fellow, defines grit as two interconnected components that work together over time. “It’s these two parts, ri