--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be gritty is to resist complacency." description: "\"“To be gritty is to resist complacency.”\" — Angela Duckworth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg" --- # To be gritty is to resist complacency. ![“To be gritty is to resist complacency.” quote by Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg) > ““To be gritty is to resist complacency.”” [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being gritty means actively opposing the tendency to become comfortable and stop striving for improvement. **In simple terms:** Grit opposes complacency. Key Takeaway Stay proactive, avoid settling. Themes determination self‑improvement resilience Mood motivational reflective Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career development - academic pursuits - personal goals - team projects Key Concepts psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What habits sustain grit over time? - When is complacency a sign of wisdom? A Different Perspective Grit alone may not overcome structural barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complacency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) ## Related quotes > [Just try to be yourself and resist complacency and ignorance. All you can do is work, work; work and be disciplined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/just-try-to-be-yourself-and-resist-complacency-and-ignorance-all-you/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [One thing that's true of gritty people is they love what they do, and they keep loving what they do. So they're not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/one-thing-that-s-true-of-gritty-people-is-they-love-what-they-do-and/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Being gritty doesn't mean not showing pain or pretending everything is O.K. In fact, when you look at healthy and successful and giving people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/being-gritty-doesn-t-mean-not-showing-pain-or-pretending-everything/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“To be gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/to-be-gritty-is-to-keep-putting-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other-to-be/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“complacency has its charms, but none worth trading for the fulfillment of realizing their potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/complacency-has-its-charms-but-none-worth-trading-for-the-fulfillment/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [There's also a lot of gritty Americana type of bands. I actually have a lot of Britpop on my iPod, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/there-s-also-a-lot-of-gritty-americana-type-of-bands-i-actually-have/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [This is reporting the way I like it... in the field, gritty and aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hansen/this-is-reporting-the-way-i-like-it-in-the-field-gritty-and-aggressive/) [Chris Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hansen/) > [It was always that detail that drove me. Ever since I was a little kid, I used to get into the nitty gritty... when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/it-was-always-that-detail-that-drove-me-ever-since-i-was-a-little-kid/) [Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/) > [It's very important to not repeat yourself. After 'Delhi Belly,' I was offered 40 'Delhi Belly's and you can't do that! So 'Revolver Rani'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/it-s-very-important-to-not-repeat-yourself-after-delhi-belly-i-was/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [Especially with Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, I can't tell necessarily the nitty gritty of what you're really up to. I'm just seeing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/especially-with-facebook-and-instagram-and-twitter-i-can-t-tell/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I'd love to venture into TV or do some gritty dramas - Guy Ritchie, that kind of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayne-ward/i-d-love-to-venture-into-tv-or-do-some-gritty-dramas-guy-ritchie-that/) [Shayne Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayne-ward/) > [I wanted to work with somebody who seemed like he came from the same place that I did, which is that total immersion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/i-wanted-to-work-with-somebody-who-seemed-like-he-came-from-the-same/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [I'm hungry for a cold and mean character. I'd love it if someone thought I could play gritty. I want to play a baddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-brown-findlay/i-m-hungry-for-a-cold-and-mean-character-i-d-love-it-if-someone/) [Jessica Brown Findlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-brown-findlay/) > [I like my cinema gritty, I like my eggs gritty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-like-my-cinema-gritty-i-like-my-eggs-gritty/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Everywhere I go, I can't wear everything a designer creates. I'm a little more gritty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/everywhere-i-go-i-can-t-wear-everything-a-designer-creates-i-m-a/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) ## More by Angela Duckworth > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“you can, in fact, modify your self-talk, and you can learn to not let it interfere with you moving toward your goals. With practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/you-can-in-fact-modify-your-self-talk-and-you-can-learn-to-not-let-it/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [One thing that's true of gritty people is they love what they do, and they keep loving what they do. So they're not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/one-thing-that-s-true-of-gritty-people-is-they-love-what-they-do-and/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [The focus on just thinking about standardized test scores as being synonymous with achievement for teenagers is ridiculous, right? There are so many things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/the-focus-on-just-thinking-about-standardized-test-scores-as-being/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming. They’d rather show the highlight of what they’ve become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/nobody-wants-to-show-you-the-hours-and-hours-of-becoming-they-d/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my genes because I can't do anything about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/i-don-t-spend-a-lot-of-time-thinking-about-my-genes-because-i-can-t/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“My longitudinal studies show these three virtue clusters predict different outcomes. For academic achievement, including stellar report card grades, the cluster containing grit is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/my-longitudinal-studies-show-these-three-virtue-clusters-predict/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“For many of us, the companies we work for are an important cultural force in our lives. For instance, growing up, my dad liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/for-many-of-us-the-companies-we-work-for-are-an-important-cultural/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“trying to do things they can't yet do, failing, and learning what they need to do differently is exactly the way that experts practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/trying-to-do-things-they-can-t-yet-do-failing-and-learning-what-they/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Negative feelings are typical of learning, and you shouldn't feel like you're stupid when you're frustrated doing something. You might say to yourself, 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/negative-feelings-are-typical-of-learning-and-you-shouldn-t-feel-like/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [I was a good novice teacher, but I did the things that were obvious. I stayed for lunch for extra tutoring, gave kids my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/i-was-a-good-novice-teacher-but-i-did-the-things-that-were-obvious-i/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“The separation of talent and skill,” Will Smith points out, “is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/the-separation-of-talent-and-skill-will-smith-points-out-is-one-of/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [What we reliably find is that people's perseverance scores are actually higher than their passion scores, and I think it really does get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/what-we-reliably-find-is-that-people-s-perseverance-scores-are/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Many things matter other than our measured intelligence, so let's get to work on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/many-things-matter-other-than-our-measured-intelligence-so-let-s-get/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“With everything perfect,” Nietzsche wrote, “we do not ask how it came to be.” Instead, “we rejoice in the present fact as though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/with-everything-perfect-nietzsche-wrote-we-do-not-ask-how-it-came-to/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) [Explore all 161 Angela Duckworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) ## More Complacency quotes > [“Complacency delivered us into the hands of evil greedy men like Cheney.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/complacency-delivered-us-into-the-hands-of-evil-greedy-men-like-cheney/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [We are the best the show, others weak hold. Just to get complacency / which does not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/we-are-the-best-the-show-others-weak-hold-just-to-get-complacency/) Mak\_786 > [“It’s a fallacy that this generation does not know how to love as its predecessor did. Truth of the matter is, modern love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/it-s-a-fallacy-that-this-generation-does-not-know-how-to-love-as-its/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“To move forward, one need only take the first step,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-neill/to-move-forward-one-need-only-take-the-first-step/) Chase Neill > [Plato calls complacency the companion of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/plato-calls-complacency-the-companion-of-loneliness/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Complacency is a creeping danger. Unless wisdom sets in, you will never come to your senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jey-lopez/complacency-is-a-creeping-danger-unless-wisdom-sets-in-you-will-never/) [Jey Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jey-lopez/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“Listen to Mr. Complacency long enough and he'll convince you that what you really, really need is a nap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-and-brett-harris/listen-to-mr-complacency-long-enough-and-he-ll-convince-you-that-what/) Alex and Brett Harris > [I always say, complacency is the kiss of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-redstone/i-always-say-complacency-is-the-kiss-of-death/) [Shari Redstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-redstone/) [Browse all 437 Complacency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To be gritty is to resist complacency.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angela Duckworth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complacency" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/angela-duckworth-2560_complacency_to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency-23_2367697.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be gritty is to resist complacency.” — Angela Duckworth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Angela Duckworth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To be gritty is to resist...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/to-be-gritty-is-to-resist-complacency/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```