The question has been asked since the dawn of time: what makes some people more successful than others? The question has not escaped the attention of research and a new study offers intriguing insight into two key ingredients for success: a) discipline, and b) determination (Duckworth & Gross, 2014). Discipline is the ability to control attention, emotion, and actions in the presence of distractions. Determination is the relentless pursuit of a major goal regardless of setbacks and failures. Discipline and determination are strongly related, but not synonymous. Some people, for example, have high levels of self-control and masterfully handle temptations but they do not pursue a dominant goal with passion or perseverance. Others are doggedly determined, but easily succumb to distractions that deflect attention and energy from their goal. Understanding how goals are hierarchically organized clarifies how discipline and determination are related but distinct: Discipline entails aligning actions with any valued goal despite momentarily more-alluring alternatives; determination, in contrast, entails having and working assiduously toward a single challenging primary goal through thick and thin, on a timescale of years or even decades. Discipline and determination working in tandem provides a potent path to success.
Duckworth, A., & Gross, J. J. (2014). Self-Control and Grit: Related but Separable Determinants of Success. Current Directions In Psychological Science (Sage Publications Inc.), 23(5), 319-325.
