I spent 3 years in graduate school researching grit. So you could imagine my disappointment when some more legitimate scientists told me that grit was just conscientiousness, a construct that’s been around in personality psychology for decades, dressed up.

But whether you call it grit or conscientiousness - it’s still something you should care about and try to cultivate. Coaching can make a difference between someone being gritty and mentally flimsy. The tendency to be orderly, and dutiful, and to care about your work and performance is a big advantage.