Effects of grit on academic achievement and career-related attitudes of college students in Korea

Researchers have found that outstanding performance entails not only innate talent but also focused practice and effort over time. Because college students must simultaneously strive for academic achievement and prepare for a future career, we tested 253 students to examine the effects of grit and deliberate practice on academic achievement and career attitudes in a Korean context. Results showed that grit was associated with higher grades, and that this relationship was mediated by deliberate practice. Grit was a significant predictor of career preparation behavior and major–career relatedness when academic year and the Big Five personality characteristics were controlled for. With this study, we have contributed to the expertise literature by clarifying how grit influences college students’ academic achievement and career-related attitudes.