Journalist and author Paul Tough has long been writing about poverty and education and how we as a country can do better bridging the gap between rich and poor.

In his new book, “How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character,” Tough maintains that much of the way we have looked at childhood development has been misguided. Instead of IQ, he says, the thing that most affects a child’s future success is character.