We “activate a physiological system that has evolved for…

“Most broadly, they refer to the ability to deal with confusing and unpredictable situations and information. One”

— Paul Tough

“What matters, instead, is whether we are able to help her develop a very different set of qualities, a list that includes persistence, self-control,…

— Paul Tough

“the child of a supermom who gets lots of extra tutoring and one-on-one support is going to do way better than an average well-loved…

— Paul Tough

“the best way for a young person to build character is for him to attempt something where there is a real and serious possibility…

— Paul Tough

“The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure,” Randolph told me. “And in most highly academic environments…

— Paul Tough

“Tools of the Mind, by contrast, doesn’t focus much on reading and math abilities. Instead, all of its interventions are intended to help children…

— Paul Tough

Optimists, by contrast, look for specific, limited, short-term explanations for bad events, and as a result, in the face of a setback, they’re more…

— Paul Tough

And in most highly academic environments in the United States, no one fails anything.

— Paul Tough

“a passionate commitment to a single mission and an unswerving dedication to achieve that mission. She decided she needed to name this quality, and…

— Paul Tough

“children were no longer receiving enough cognitive stimulation in the first three years of life, in part because of the increasing number of single-parent…

— Paul Tough

What if the Secret to Success is Failure?,

— Paul Tough

“Chemistry is not destiny, certainly. But these scientists have demonstrated that the most reliable way to produce an adult who is brave and curious…

— Paul Tough

“Researchers, including Michael Meaney and Clancy Blair, have demonstrated that for infants to develop qualities like perseverance and focus, they need a high level…

— Paul Tough

“Think about it,” Spiegel said. “Remember, when I ask you a question, you don’t have to answer right away. But you do have to…

— Paul Tough

What matters most in a child’s development, they say, is not how much information we can stuff into her brain in the first few…

— Paul Tough