His performances in language courses were excellent in high school, and sometimes his teacher would come to him for help when encountering uncommon words.
Applicants began flooding teaching programs, not because the salaries were so high but because autonomous decision making and respect made the job desirable.
Next, someone approached them for advice in their area of self-identified weakness. The non-experts were perplexed by these questions and viewed the asker as less competent for seeking their help.
When he mentioned his profession, one man wanted Duckworth's opinion on his struggles with depression; another asked for advice on a family member's schizophrenia.