🧭 What Grit Really Looks Like

Angela Duckworth on Grit

The Science of Grit: Why Effort Outlasts Talent

You don’t need to be the most talented person in the room. You just need to be the most committed.

In her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth redefines what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Grit isn’t just about working hard - it’s about staying committed to long-term goals even when things get hard, boring, or slow.

What you should know and why this matters:

Before we get to the how—here’s what you should know:

Some people may be genetically predisposed to be more persistent or resilient. But grit is not hardwired - it's heavily shaped by how we talk about effort, success, and challenge. Studies show that the way parents, coaches, and leaders frame setbacks and reinforce effort plays a major role in how grit develops.

Whether you're teaching kids or leading a team, how you respond to failure matters. When people are praised for effort - not just results - they begin to see challenges as opportunities to grow rather than proof that they aren't good enough.

Talent matters, but effort matters more - twice, in fact. Angela Duckworth highlights this in her research and it’s an important thing for us to analyze.

• Skill = Talent x Effort

• Achievement = Skill x Effort

That means Achievement = (Talent × Effort) × Effort. The constant is effort. Grit is the multiplier.

In a world obsessed with instant gratification, grit is your competitive edge. It’s not fixed - it’s trainable. And it helps you take ownership, grow through resistance, and stay locked in when others give up.

That brings us to one of the best stories of what grit actually looks like in the real world.

Steve Young’s stories of GRIT:

In the annals of sports history, few stories capture the spirit of grit like that of Steve Young and his father, LeGrande "Grit" Young.

From a young age, Steve admired his father's relentless commitment to hard work and consistency. Grit made sure his kids earned their way through effort. When Steve was 13 and didn't get a single hit in an entire summer of little league baseball, his father didn’t let him quit. Instead, they showed up to the field - cold, wet, and empty - and practiced every day until Steve began to succeed.

Years later at BYU, Steve Young started as the 8th string quarterback and considered quitting. He called home. His father’s reply?

“Ok, Steve, you can quit. But you can’t come home.”

That single line changed everything. Steve stayed. He trained. He worked. And he became one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history - College Football Hall of Famer, Super Bowl Champion, NFL MVP.

His story isn’t about talent - it’s about grit. And it's proof that with belief, structure, and perseverance, greatness is possible. You can read the full story below.

The Steve Young stories, quotes, and details referenced above come from his interview with Graham Bensinger here.

How to Develop More Grit

1️⃣ Reframe how you think about effort

Carol Dweck’s mindset research shows that when we praise effort instead of ability, we build persistence, creativity, and resilience. It helps people see challenges as chances to grow, not threats to their identity.

2️⃣ Set action intentions

Think through what you will do consistently and how you will take action when you feel stuck or can’t move forward. Having a go-to strategy helps you follow through even when motivation drops.

3️⃣ Make adversity part of your identity

Accept that in life you will either be about to face adversity, facing adversity, or just faced adversity. Elite performers embrace difficulty as part of who they are. They don’t just endure it - they identify with it, which makes them more resilient in the long run.

4️⃣ Define your goals and why you want them

Once you know what you care about - clarify where you’re headed. Eliminate distractions. Set stretch goals that are tied to your purpose, not other people’s expectations.

5️⃣ Ensure the passion and interest is there

Grit starts with something you care about. Reflect on what draws your attention and gives you energy.

• What do I enjoy thinking about?

• What do I care deeply about?

• What kind of problems do I love solving?

6️⃣ Build a support system

Grit isn’t developed alone. Find mentors, teammates, and friends who will challenge and encourage you. A strong support system reinforces your belief during setbacks.

7️⃣ Reflect and improve

The most gritty people reflect often, they think about how they need to improve, grow, and track their progress.

• What did I do well?

• What can I do better?

• What challenge helped me grow?

Final Thoughts: Think About Confidence Building as a Habit

• If you’re a coach: Reinforce effort over outcome and talk about what grit looks like. Where you focus is where the team’s energy will flow.

• If you’re a leader: Connect your team’s work to purpose. Remind people of the WHY. Grit comes easier when the mission matters.

• If you’re a parent: raise consistency, effort, and bounce-back - not just results.

• If you’re an athlete: Think about ways to push yourself every day. Train grit by showing up, pushing through, and tracking your progress.

Grit is the difference between starting strong and finishing stronger.

It’s not talent. It’s not luck. It’s not hype.

It’s effort - repeated.

And the good news? You can build it.

🏆For Premium Subscribers → The GRIT Playbook launches this week.

It’s your science-backed guide to building grit in yourself, your team, and your kids - with real-world tactics, not just theory.

Favorite Posts I Found This Week

Free Mental Fitness Links 👇

For athletes and performers:

• The 5 daily habits that keep you locked into commitment

  Pete Carroll’s definition of GRIT might be the best you’ll ever hear

• Becky Hammon’s secret to resilience

• Dan Lanning on the power of player-led teams

• 6 things champions do that average performers ignore

For coaches and leaders:

• Bill Belichick’s 4 principles of success

• Jay Wright on how to build culture after you’ve already won

• Steve Young’s leadership story about Ronnie Lott will stay with you

• John Harbaugh’s 6 principles of servant leadership

What I am reading and listening to:

📚 Book: The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell

🎥 Video: The Secret to High Performance: 1% Better Every Day w/ James Clear

🎧Podcast: Coach Rick Pitino: A Coach's Guide to Success (with Lewis Howes)

Want More?

1. Feel free to view all of our FREE resources online here and our growing content library!

2. Interesting in advertising? Fill out this survey and we’ll get back to you soon!