“To be gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting and purposeful goal. To be gritty is to invest, day after week after year, in challenging practice.”
— Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
We tend to admire grit when we see the results. When we observe someone accomplish something extraordinary, overcome a setback, or persevere through difficult circumstances, we look at them and think, Wow, that person has grit!
But grit isn't something a select few are born with, it's something we can all develop through sustained effort, purposeful practice, and the willingness to keep going when things get difficult.
I've spent a lot of my life pursuing challenging goals, from becoming a fighter pilot to rebuilding my life after a serious illness ended my military career. Along the way, I've learned that grit isn't always about pushing harder. Sometimes it's about having the humility to ask for help, the courage to change your approach, or the patience to accept that progress may take longer than you'd hoped. And I'm still learning, and I’m still a work in progress.
So how do we build grit?
Start with something worth pursuing. Grit needs a purpose. It's much easier to stay committed to something difficult when you understand why it matters to you.
Focus on consistency, not intensity. A burst of motivation might get you started, but it's the smaller, repeated efforts that build lasting progress. Show up, do the work, repeat.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Growth rarely happens when everything is easy. Take on challenges that stretch your abilities, and don't mistake temporary frustration for failure. And don’t consider failures to be final.
Be willing to adjust. Perseverance doesn't mean stubbornly sticking to a plan that isn't working. Sometimes the goal stays the same while the path to get there changes completely. I’ve certainly experienced this!
Give yourself some grace. Grit doesn't mean you never get tired, discouraged, or overwhelmed. Rest, recovery, and asking for help aren't signs of weakness…they're often what allow us to keep going.
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that grit isn't necessarily demonstrated in the big, defining moments of our lives. More often, it's built in the ordinary ones. You don't have to be extraordinary to practice and build grit. You just have to be willing to keep working toward something that matters.
What's one small thing you can do today to build grit?
