According to psychologist Angela Duckworth, “grit” is the drive and tenacity to achieve long-term objectives; it may be a more accurate indicator of success than IQ or skill. Whether in business, health, or the arts, many of the most influential professions in the world have been founded on perseverance in the face of adversity rather than just talent. “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” as Thomas Edison once stated. Being able to persevere in the face of uncertainty can be crucial in today’s fast-paced and frequently unpredictable world. However, what does grit look like in the real world? When wealth or talent alone are insufficient, how do people advance? This expert roundup gathers first-hand narratives of grit in action, including tales of perseverance, problem-solving, and personal development brought about by sheer willpower.
From Zero to CEO Transport in 90 Days
In just 90 days, I went from no bookings to transporting a Fortune 100 CEO. Not because of talent, but simply because I would not quit.
When I started Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com, I didn’t have a fleet, drivers, or any clients, only the thought that I could dramatically improve the travel experience in Mexico City with just service, safety and transparency. I was new to the country, no funding and local connections, and not a transport expert myself, but I did have grit.
While others danced around trying to build the business with Facebook ads, or Billboards every night, I did everything possible to build the SEO for our landing pages, answered all the WhatsApp inquiries myself, even at 2am, and spent all my time learning enough code to try to fix the bugs myself, while also going on the early trips to support the drivers, even showing up at people’s Airbnbs at night.
The moment when things changed was when the VP of one of the Global Top 10tech companies was searching for one last minue airport transfer. I did not know it at the time, but he was so impressed with the car cleanliness and the driver punctuality, and the route knowledge, that within weeks, we were coordinating a multi-day itinerary for his entire management team.
There was nothing on paper that wrote that we “won” that client. But we earned it with consistency, obsession over detail and with a level of endurance that only grit can deliver.
Today, over 70% of our clients are repeat or referrals. I can confidently say that we have taken a number of C-Suite executives, international artists and first time Travellers etc., because we have built something right, one ride at a time.
Talent can get the door open, but grit is what keeps us running.
Martin Weidemann, Owner, Mexico-City-Private-Driver.com
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Surgeon Conquers Language Barrier Through Pure Determination
When I was in my mid 20’s I won a scholarship to go to Italy to do a fellowship in breast surgery. I didn’t know Italian and I enrolled myself in a 6 weeks course just to learn the basics skills of communication.
About 2 months later I was in Milan and started to work at the Hospital there. My 6 week course did not work so much, I was a little sad but I decided to learn the language no matter what. I’ve always been a perfectionist and have always been scared of failure, however, I set out to learn the language. I hid all those feelings that didn’t serve me and I started to speak with many many mistakes at first, but without fear.
Talented? Yes, I was and I am talented in what I do but this didn’t depend on that, this was all me overcoming this situation so I could make the most out of my new job. After 4 months I was speaking, writing and visiting patients by my own.
At the end of the fellowship year I was offered to stay one more year as a contracted physician and I stayed in Milan for one more year. I made friends for life.
After that experience I changed many things in my way of being, I understood that the fear of being wrong does not lead us to anything, on the contrary it delays us in many successes that we can have.
Talent is important but guts and perseverance are even more important if we want to achieve what we really want.
Maybell Nieves, Surgical Oncologist, AlynMD
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Bar Owner Succeeds Through Unwavering Commitment
When I opened Bella Bar, I had no investors, no business plan, only a vision, bills to pay, and the belief that I could outwork anyone. Talent didn’t keep me showing up seven days a week. It was grit. Once I commit, I commit 110%, there’s no turning back, no excuses, only solutions. There’s only room to pivot, learn from mistakes, and move on. That’s true grit and is the essence of any successful entrepreneur.
Jessica Marren, Entrepreneur, Bella Bar Medspa
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Underqualified to Expert: Persistence Beats Natural Talent
There was a point in my career where I took on a job I knew I was supremely underqualified for. I struggled at first and questioned whether I’d be able to carry on. Yet I pressed on—showing up to the office every day, asking a million questions and learning a million new things each day. It wasn’t natural ability that got me through this experience—it was the ability to overcome failure for eventual success.
Chris Hunter, Director of Customer Relations, ServiceTitan
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Coach Defies Medical Odds to Build Boxing Empire
As National Head Coach for Legends Boxing with over two years of experience growing gym membership by 45%, I’ve learned that raw determination consistently outperforms natural athletic ability.
My biggest grit test came as a 12-year-old kid with a hip disease who needed a body cast and surgeries. The doctor told me I’d probably walk with crutches or a cane for life, but I looked him straight in the face and said “no I won’t.” I made the decision that this wasn’t going to beat me – I was going to be stronger than whatever was in front of me.
That mindset became my superpower in business. When we launched our nationwide personal boxing coaching program, people said it wouldn’t work because it hadn’t been done before. Instead of listening to doubters, I applied the same “figure it out” mentality from my childhood. We didn’t have a roadmap, but we knew we’d find the answer because we refused to get beat.
The irony is full circle – the handicapped kid who couldn’t play sports ended up founding a boxing company and competing in amateur fights. That happened through daily grind, not talent. Every successful entrepreneur I know got there through grit, not gifts.
Robby Welch, National Head Coach, Legends Boxing
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Strategic Assets Replace Burnout for Business Growth
When I started my data analytics agency, I saw fast growth of revenue for the first 2 years. However, afterwards the revenue plateaued and even decreased slightly for the next 2 years.
For a while I felt like I need to work harder and invest more time into sales but every time I burned out after a couple of months so I was getting nowhere.
I then started thinking critically about why my business wasn’t growing and what I should be doing differently. I reached to a simple conclusion that I need to be doing something this year to make my life easier the next year.
I launched 2 initiatives:
1. I started investing more time and money into our SEO. SEO efforts snowball over time and I was turning my website into a strategic asset within my organization. As a result I can now see our website visitors increasing every month and we are now getting 10-20 leads per week.
2. I invested into developing our proprietary software. We started selling this software on annual subscriptions of $1000-1400 per year. As a result, we now have 150k+ of annual recurring revenue which is going to be a driving force for our growth next year.
Eugene Lebedev, Managing Director, Vidi Corp LTD
Have Your Say
- Do you think grit matters more than talent? Why or why not?
- What’s the toughest challenge you’ve pushed through with perseverance?
- How do you stay motivated when things get tough?
Alignment with the UN SDGs
- SDG 4: Encourages skill-building through persistence and lifelong learning
- SDG 8: Promotes sustained, inclusive economic growth and entrepreneurship
- SDG 3: Supports mental resilience and well-being through personal development
Note: The views and opinions expressed in the content provided on this page are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organizations mentioned. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as professional advice. Readers should consult with relevant experts or professionals for guidance specific to their circumstances. The examples used are for illustrative purposes and results may vary depending on various factors. Any external links provided are for convenience, and we do not endorse or take responsibility for the content, products, or services available through these links.
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