Updated 3 November 2026
Do I finish what I start?
IPIP industry and perseverance scale, 8 items, 2 minutes
Perseverance is finishing what you start, despite obstacles and distractions. These eight statements are the public-domain IPIP scale for the industry, perseverance and persistence strength.
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0 of 8 answered. Describe yourself as you generally are now, not as you wish to be in the future. Describe yourself as you honestly see yourself, in relation to other people you know of the same sex as you are, and roughly your same age.
Your results
Your answers and results are stored only in this browser, on this device. Nothing is sent to us. A share link carries your scores in the link itself.
Understanding your scores
Perseverance
High. People who score high say they do not quit a task before it is finished, finish things despite obstacles, work hard and do not get sidetracked. In daily life that shows as projects that reach the end, long courses completed, and a reluctance to leave anything half done. Perseverance is a strength closely tied to the self-discipline and achievement-striving facets of conscientiousness. The cost is persisting with things that should be dropped.
Low. People who score low say they do not finish what they start, give up easily and do not stick with what they decide to do. In daily life that shows as enthusiasm that fades, several things on the go, and a readiness to cut losses that more persistent people lack. It is not a verdict on ability or effort: many low scorers work hard in bursts and change direction well, which is sometimes the better strategy.
How reliable is this test
Internal consistency (coefficient alpha) per scale, as published:
| Scale | Published |
|---|---|
| Perseverance | 0.81 |
Coefficient alpha as given on the key page, https://ipip.ori.org/newVIAKey.htm, accessed 3 November 2026.
No published norms exist for this instrument, so the results show raw scores against the possible range and no percentiles.
The IPIP key page gives coefficient alpha of .81 for this scale and no test-retest figure. Personality scores are fairly stable over weeks; a change of a few points between attempts is usual.
Limits worth knowing: eight items, self-reported, with no published norm sample for the scale on its own. Perseverance sits inside conscientiousness, which the Big Five tests measure against norms.
Guides that cover this
Questions people ask
Is this the same as grit?
Close. Grit, as usually measured, combines perseverance of effort with consistency of interest over years. This scale measures the perseverance part. Both sit inside conscientiousness in the Big Five.
Why only eight items?
The IPIP key page lists ten items for this scale but marks two as omitted from the scored version; the site keeps the eight the key scores.
Why is there no percentile on this test?
No norm sample has been published for this scale on its own, and the site never estimates or invents norms. Your marker is drawn against the possible range instead, and the page says so. The Big Five tests do have published norms.
Is a high or low score better?
Neither. Each end has strengths and costs, and the research describes tendencies across large groups, not what any one person will do. The site never colours scores as good or bad.
Where do my answers go?
Nowhere. The test is scored in your browser and the result is kept only on this device. If you choose to share a link, your scores are inside the link itself and nothing is sent to this site.
Sources and licence
Instrument: Perseverance. IPIP scales measuring constructs similar to those in the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004), International Personality Item Pool.
Scoring key: https://ipip.ori.org/newVIAKey.htm, checked 2026-11-03.
Licence: Public domain (IPIP). Permission is granted automatically for any person to use IPIP items for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial. https://ipip.ori.org/newPermission.htm Credit: International Personality Item Pool, https://ipip.ori.org/.