2021 Stephen A. Levin Family Dean's Forum: Range vs. Grit

What’s the secret to success in any field? Why do some people succeed and others fail? David Epstein and Angela Duckworth discuss two different, seemingly contrasting perspectives on these fundamental questions.

David Epstein has studied the world’s top performers, from athletes to artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and Nobel laureates. His conclusion: In most fields, generalists—not specialists—are primed to excel. Epstein unpacks the science of success and ways to improve how you live, work, and prepare for the future.

Through research with teachers working in some of the toughest schools, cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee, Angela Duckworth has found that grit—a combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals—is the hallmark of high achievers in every domain. She’s also found scientific evidence that grit can grow.  

The Stephen A. Levin Family Dean’s Forum is an annual celebration of the arts and sciences. Initiated in 1984, the Forum presents leading intellectual figures who exemplify the richness of the liberal arts. The Stephen A. Levin Family Dean’s Forum is made possible by a generous gift from Stephen A. Levin, C’67, in honor of his son Eric T. Levin, C’92.