---
title: "3 Grit Quotes By Paul Tough"
description: "3 Grit quotes by Paul Tough. Plus more from Paul Tough and more Grit sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/paul-tough-17766_discipline_the-idea-of-building-grit-and-building-s_351175.png"
---

> [“The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure,” Randolph told me. “And in most highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/the-idea-of-building-grit-and-building-self-control-is-that-you-get/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/356/paul-tough-17766_discipline_the-idea-of-building-grit-and-building-s_351175.png)

> [“a passionate commitment to a single mission and an unswerving dedication to achieve that mission. She decided she needed to name this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/a-passionate-commitment-to-a-single-mission-and-an-unswerving/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/paul-tough-17766_excellence_a-passionate-commitment-to-a-single-miss_709078.png)

> [What matters most in a child’s development, they say, is not how much information we can stuff into her brain in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/what-matters-most-in-a-child-s-development-they-say-is-not-how-much/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9c/paul-tough-17766_able_what-matters-most-in-a-child-s-developme_1280299.jpg)

## Other authors on Grit

- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-angela-duckworth-2560.jpg) Angela Duckworth 26 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grit/angela-duckworth/)

## More by Paul Tough

> [“Most broadly, they refer to the ability to deal with confusing and unpredictable situations and information. One”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/most-broadly-they-refer-to-the-ability-to-deal-with-confusing-and/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/what-matters-instead-is-whether-we-are-able-to-help-her-develop-a/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/the-child-of-a-supermom-who-gets-lots-of-extra-tutoring-and-one-on/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/the-best-way-for-a-young-person-to-build-character-is-for-him-to/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/the-idea-of-building-grit-and-building-self-control-is-that-you-get/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/tools-of-the-mind-by-contrast-doesn-t-focus-much-on-reading-and-math/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/optimists-by-contrast-look-for-specific-limited-short-term/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

> [And in most highly academic environments in the United States, no one fails anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/and-in-most-highly-academic-environments-in-the-united-states-no-one/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/a-passionate-commitment-to-a-single-mission-and-an-unswerving/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/children-were-no-longer-receiving-enough-cognitive-stimulation-in-the/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

> [“We “activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies,” Sapolsky writes, “but we turn it on for months on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/we-activate-a-physiological-system-that-has-evolved-for-responding-to/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

> [What if the Secret to Success is Failure?,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/what-if-the-secret-to-success-is-failure/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/chemistry-is-not-destiny-certainly-but-these-scientists-have/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/researchers-including-michael-meaney-and-clancy-blair-have/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/think-about-it-spiegel-said-remember-when-i-ask-you-a-question-you/)

[Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/)

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