For the last 11 years, Angela Lee Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania has been conducting ground breaking studies on "grit"--the quality that enables individuals to work hard and stick to their long-term passions and goals. In this interview with "Educational Leadership," Duckworth describes what her research has shown about the relationship between "grit" and achievement, and she reflects on the importance of helping students develop grit and other noncognitive traits. Duckworth explains "grit" is not just having resilience in the face of failure, but also having deep commitments that you remain loyal to over many years. If a student is trying to maximize their outcomes--they want to do as well as they possibly can--then there's no limit, ceiling, or threshold to their studies--that's "grit." Along with Carol Dweck, Duckworth is developing an intervention to look at making students aware of the value of deliberate practice--the kind of effortful practice that really improves skills.