The Grit Series Part 1: What Is Grit and How to Develop It

The Girt Series Part 1: What Is Grit and How to Develop It

Launching and building a startup is not for the faint of heart. The startup journey is filled with uncertainty, setbacks, and moments that test your resolve. While intelligence, creativity, and networking are essential, there’s another trait that consistently separates successful founders from the rest: grit. But what exactly is grit, why does it matter so much, and—most importantly—how can you develop it?

This article explores the science and psychology behind grit, why it’s crucial for founders, and actionable strategies to cultivate this essential quality in yourself and your team.

What Is Grit?

Grit is best described as the combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s about sticking with your future—day in, day out, not just for the week or the month, but for years—and working really hard to make that future a reality. It’s not just resilience in the face of failure, but a steadfast commitment to a purpose that outlasts obstacles, boredom, and even moments of doubt.

The concept was popularized by psychologist Angela Duckworth, whose research found that grit is a better predictor of success than talent or intelligence. In her words:

“Grit is passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way.”

For startup founders, grit is the invisible fuel that powers you through the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship. It’s the determination to keep going when your product flops, when investors say no, or when your team is demoralized. Grit is what keeps you in the game long enough to see your vision come to life.

Why Grit Matters for Startup Founders

Startups are defined by uncertainty and adversity. Most founders will face:

• Product failures and pivots
• Funding rejections
• Team turnover
• Market shifts
• Personal sacrifices

In these moments, the difference between those who give up and those who break through often comes down to grit. Gritty founders are able to:

• Sustain motivation over years, not just weeks
• Bounce back from setbacks and learn from failure
• Maintain focus on their mission despite distractions
• Inspire teams to persist through tough times

Grit doesn’t guarantee success, but without it, the odds of surviving the startup gauntlet are slim.

The Science of Grit

Angela Duckworth’s research, along with studies in psychology and neuroscience, reveals that grit is not an innate trait—you’re not simply born with it or without it. Instead, grit is a quality that can be cultivated and strengthened over time.

Key findings include:

• Grit is distinct from talent. High achievers are often not the most talented, but the most persistent.
• Grit grows with deliberate practice and reflection.
• Mindset matters: Those who believe abilities can be developed (a “growth mindset”) are more likely to persevere.

This is good news for founders: you can actively work on becoming grittier, both as an individual and as a team.

How to Develop Grit: Actionable Strategies for Founders

Developing grit is a process, not a one-time event. Here are practical strategies—backed by research and real-world experience—to help you become a grittier founder.

1. Find and Cultivate Your Passion

Grit starts with passion. Not fleeting excitement, but a deep, enduring interest in your work. Passion gives you a reason to persevere when things get tough.

How to do it:

• Reflect on what excites you. What problems do you feel compelled to solve? What work would you do even if you weren’t paid?
• Reconnect with your “why.” Write down the mission behind your startup and revisit it regularly.
• Allow your passion to evolve. It’s normal for interests to shift as you grow—don’t be afraid to pivot your focus as you learn more about yourself and your market.

Example:
A founder obsessed with democratizing education will find reserves of energy to push through setbacks that someone chasing a quick exit won’t.

2. Practice Deliberate Practice

Gritty people don’t just work hard—they work smart. They engage in deliberate practice: focused, goal-oriented effort designed to improve specific skills.

How to do it:

• Identify your weaknesses as a founder (e.g., sales, technical skills, leadership).
• Set clear, challenging goals for improvement.
• Seek feedback from mentors, peers, or coaches.
• Break big challenges into smaller, manageable tasks and track your progress.

Example:
If pitching investors is a struggle, record your pitches, solicit tough feedback, and iterate until you see measurable improvement.

3. Adopt a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset—the belief that abilities can be developed through effort—fosters resilience and a willingness to learn from failure.

How to do it:

• Reframe failures as learning opportunities. Instead of “I’m not good at this,” say, “I’m not good at this yet.”
• Celebrate effort and progress, not just outcomes.
• Encourage your team to experiment, take risks, and share lessons learned from mistakes.

Example:
When a product launch falls flat, analyze what went wrong, extract lessons, and use them to inform your next iteration.

4. Connect to a Greater Purpose

Purpose fuels grit. When your work feels meaningful—when it’s about more than just making money—you’re more likely to persist.

How to do it:

• Articulate the broader impact of your startup. How does your product or service improve lives?
• Share customer stories and testimonials with your team to reinforce your mission.
• Remind yourself and your team regularly why your work matters.

Example:
A health-tech founder who’s motivated by improving patient outcomes will be more resilient than one chasing industry trends.

5. Surround Yourself with Gritty People

Grit is contagious. The people you spend time with shape your habits, attitudes, and resilience.

How to do it:

• Join founder communities, masterminds, or accelerators where perseverance is valued.
• Seek mentors who have overcome adversity.
• Build a team that shares your commitment to the mission.

Example:
A co-founder who refuses to quit in the face of setbacks can inspire the entire team to push through tough times.

6. Practice Optimism and Resilience

Optimism isn’t about ignoring problems; it’s about believing you can solve them. Gritty founders maintain hope even when things look bleak.

How to do it:

• Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t.
• When you fail, analyze what happened and identify concrete steps to improve.
• Use positive self-talk to counteract negative thoughts.

Example:
Instead of thinking “We’ll never raise funding,” reframe to “What can we do differently to improve our pitch?”

7. Implement the “Hard Thing Rule”

Angela Duckworth recommends the “Hard Thing Rule” as a way to build grit. The rule is simple:

• Everyone in your company (including you) must choose a difficult task that requires deliberate practice.
• You must finish what you start—no quitting early.
• You choose your own “hard thing,” but it must be genuinely challenging.

How to do it:

• Set quarterly “hard things” for yourself and your team.
• Share progress and celebrate completion.

Example:
A founder commits to running a marathon, learning to code, or mastering public speaking—building perseverance that transfers to the startup context.

8. Conduct “Grit Interviews”

Learning from others who have demonstrated grit can provide valuable insights and inspiration.

How to do it:

• Interview mentors, peers, or industry veterans about how they overcame setbacks.
• Ask about their lowest moments and what kept them going.
• Share these stories with your team.

Example:
A founder learns from a mentor who survived a failed startup, pivoted, and eventually built a successful company.

9. Use Reflection Exercises

Tools like the “Grit Pie” help you break down setbacks and focus on what’s within your control.

How to do it:

• When you encounter a setback, draw a pie chart representing all the factors that contributed.
• Identify which slices you can influence.
• Brainstorm ways to address those factors in the future.

Example:
After losing a key customer, a founder analyzes whether it was due to product fit, customer service, or external factors, and then takes action on what’s controllable.

Building a Gritty Startup Culture

Grit isn’t just an individual trait—it’s a cultural value that can be cultivated within your startup.

How to foster grit in your team:

• Model perseverance: Share your own struggles and how you overcame them.
• Reward effort and learning: Celebrate not just wins, but persistence and progress.
• Encourage open discussion of failure: Create a safe space for team members to share setbacks and lessons learned.
• Set ambitious goals: Challenge your team with stretch targets that require sustained effort.
• Provide support: Offer coaching, mentorship, and resources to help team members develop grit.

Common Myths About Grit

Before you embark on your journey to become grittier, it’s important to dispel a few myths:

• Myth 1: Grit means never quitting.
  Reality: Sometimes, quitting is the right call—especially if your strategy or market has fundamentally changed. Grit is about persistence in service of a meaningful goal, not stubbornness.

• Myth 2: Grit is all you need.
  Reality: Grit is crucial, but so are adaptability, creativity, and collaboration. Don’t mistake grit for tunnel vision.

• Myth 3: Grit is fixed.
  Reality: Grit can be developed through intentional practice and reflection.

Exercises to Build Your Grit

Here are some practical exercises you can start today:

1. The “Grit Pie” Exercise

• After a setback, draw a pie chart of all contributing factors.
• Label each slice with what you can and cannot control.
• Focus your energy on the controllable slices.

2. The “Hard Thing Rule”

• Choose a challenging goal that requires sustained effort.
• Commit to seeing it through to completion.
• Reflect on what you learned from the process.

3. Daily Reflection

• At the end of each day, write down one thing you struggled with and what you did to persist.
• Over time, you’ll see patterns and growth in your resilience.

4. Grit Interviews

• Reach out to a founder or mentor you admire.
• Ask them about their toughest moments and how they overcame them.
• Reflect on how you can apply their lessons to your own journey.

Real-World Examples of Grit in Action

While this article focuses on building grit, it’s helpful to see what grit looks like in practice. Here are a few brief examples (with more detailed case studies to come in Part 2):

• Sara Blakely (Spanx): Rejected by dozens of manufacturers and investors, she persisted for years before finally launching her product and building a billion-dollar brand.
• Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX): Faced public skepticism, repeated technical failures, and near-bankruptcy, but refused to give up on his vision.
• Airbnb Founders: Endured countless rejections and years of slow growth before finding product-market fit and scaling globally.

These founders weren’t the most talented or the best connected—they were the most persistent.

Additional Resources for Developing Grit

To go deeper on grit and related concepts, explore these resources:

• Books:

  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
  • The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

• Talks:

  • Angela Duckworth’s TED Talk: “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”

• Podcasts:

  • “How I Built This” (NPR) – Interviews with founders who overcame adversity

• Articles:

  • “10 Ways To Develop Grit” (Listland)
  • “Grit: The Secret Ingredient for Success” (Accessa Coatings Solutions)

Conclusion

Grit is the secret ingredient that powers founders through the inevitable ups and downs of the startup journey. It’s not something you’re born with—it’s something you can build, day by day, through passion, deliberate practice, resilience, and purpose. By adopting the strategies outlined above, you’ll not only increase your own chances of success but also inspire your team to persevere alongside you.

In the next part of this series, we’ll dive into real-world case studies and examples of grit in action—stories you can learn from as you forge your own path.

Stay gritty. Your future self—and your startup—will thank you.

2nd July 2025