How to Develop Grit Even If You Feel Like Giving Up

Have you ever felt like giving up on a dream, even when you knew it had potential? I certainly did when I started my food delivery business. In our first year, we blew through ten times as much cash as anticipated, had our business plan stolen, and were even robbed by our own GM. It would have been easy to throw in the towel. But instead of quitting, I chose to persevere. That decision ultimately led to the company being purchased for $321M years later.

This story exemplifies grit - the unrelenting perseverance that pushes people to keep going, even when success feels impossible. Many people struggle to stick with their goals, especially when obstacles arise. They start strong, but when challenges appear, motivation fades, and they abandon their pursuits. The result? Stagnation, frustration, and a lack of progress toward the life they desire.

But grit is the game-changer. It's the factor that allows people to persevere through setbacks and continue pursuing their goals, no matter how hard things get. The good news? You can develop grit, even if you feel like giving up.

Here’s what you’ll gain from this blog:

• Learn the key characteristics of grit and how to cultivate them in your own life.

• Discover science-backed strategies on how to develop grit and mental toughness that lasts.

• Gain practical tools to persevere through difficult times, even when you feel like quitting.

What is Grit and Why Is It Important?

Grit is the combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s the drive that keeps you moving forward, even when everything inside you wants to quit.

What separates gritty individuals from the rest is not necessarily talent or intelligence, but rather their ability to keep showing up. Grit involves passion—a deep, enduring interest in something—and perseverance, the determination to continue working toward goals despite obstacles, failures, or slow progress.

But why is grit so important?

• It drives long-term success — more than talent or IQ alone

• It builds resilience mindset by turning failure into feedback

• It keeps you focused on what matters, even when circumstances shift

In short, grit mindset is the secret ingredient that allows people to push through challenges and achieve meaningful success. In fact, many would argue that grit is a key factor in winning in life.  

Learn more: Why is Having a Fixed Mindset a Hindrance?

The 5 Characteristics of Grit

While grit encompasses perseverance and passion, there are five key characteristics that set gritty people apart:

Perseverance:

This is the backbone of grit. It’s the ability to stay committed to your goals over time, even when faced with repeated failures. Perseverance is what helps gritty people push through tough moments instead of giving up in life.

Passion:

Gritty people are deeply committed to their goals and maintain a passion for their pursuits over the long term. Passion is not just about being excited about something for a few weeks—it's about a lasting, deep commitment.

Resilience:

Life is full of setbacks, and gritty people know how to bounce back. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and continue moving forward. It’s a hallmark of those who keep pushing toward their goals no matter the obstacles. Listen to our podcast on Resilient Mindset.

Self-control:

This characteristic involves managing your impulses and staying focused on what’s important. Gritty people don’t let distractions or short-term desires pull them away from their long-term goals.

Deliberate Practice:

Gritty individuals know that success isn’t about perfection, but about improving through practice. This concept of deliberate practice—focused, goal-oriented efforts to improve—is key to building expertise over time.

Learn More: Top 10 habits of successful people

Grit Examples

Let's take a quick tour through the Hall of Grit, where ordinary people turned setbacks into comebacks:

1. The Wizard of Light Bulbs: Thomas Edison didn't just fail once or twice - he failed a whopping 1,000 times before creating a working light bulb. His response? "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." Now that's what Grit looks like.

2. The Lady Who Lived... to Write: J.K. Rowling's life was no magic carpet ride. Divorced, depressed, and dead broke, she still managed to conjure up Harry Potter. 12 publishing houses rejected her manuscript before someone saw the magic.

3. The Jumpman Who Couldn't Jump: Michael Jordan, the basketball GOAT, was once... wait for it... cut from his high school team! Instead of crying foul, he practiced harder and soared higher. Air Jordan? More like Grit Jordan!

4. The King of Horror (and Rejection): Stephen King's first novel, "Carrie," was rejected 30 times. He actually threw it in the trash! Thankfully, his wife fished it out, and the rest is blood-curdling history. Talk about a plot twist!

These gritty folks didn't just face obstacles; they stared them down, laughed in their face, and kept pushing forward. They prove that success isn't about avoiding failure - it's about failing forward and keeping your eyes on the prize. So next time life throws you a curveball, remember: you're in good company. Batter up!

Learn More: How to be a more positive person

How to Develop Grit: 7 Steps to Build Long-Term Perseverance

Angela Duckworth (psychologist known for her grit research) defined grit as passion and perseverance toward long-term goals. While some may view it as an innate trait, research shows that grit can be developed over time. It’s not about talent, IQ, or luck.

These seven steps will help you develop a grit mindset in the real world — across work, wellness, relationships, and everything in between.

1. Define a Clear Long-Term Goal That Matters to You

Grit starts with clarity. Vague goals don’t create follow-through. If you want to improve your health, switch careers, or become more emotionally grounded, you need a personal reason driving it. Research shows that people with clear, purpose-driven goals are far more likely to persist.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Obvious): Write down your goal and why it matters to you. Post it on your mirror or phone screen. Repetition builds emotional attachment and sharpens focus.

To learn more about setting meaningful goals read our guide: The 7 Steps of Goal Setting For Rapid Results

2. Break the Big Goal into Small, Daily Actions

Grit grows through repetition, not intensity. If your goal feels too big, it’s easy to delay. Want to switch careers? Don’t focus on the entire process — focus on the one action you can take today. Update your resume. Send one email. Research one course. Progress builds when action becomes part of your routine.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Easy): Pick the smallest possible step you can do consistently — even on your worst day. When it feels almost too easy to skip, you’re on the right track. Remember, small changes lead to big results.

3. Learn to See Setbacks as Part of the Process

Resilience isn’t about never failing — it’s about bouncing back faster. When setbacks hit (missed workouts, job rejections, messy conversations), gritty people don’t start from scratch — they adjust and continue. This mindset shift is at the core of building long-term self-control and forward motion.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Automatic): Schedule a short weekly review to reflect on what didn’t go as planned, what you learned, and what to try next. Use a habit tracker to track your progress.

Learn More: Overcome the Fear of Failure

4. Build an Identity Around Being Gritty

You’re more likely to follow through when your actions reflect the kind of person you believe you are. It’s the difference between “I’m trying to get healthy” and “I’m someone who honors my health.” Grit strengthens when your daily choices reinforce the identity you’re building.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Fun): Create a visible streak tracker or progress journal. Reward yourself for consistency — not perfection — to reinforce the behaviors that support your new identity.

5. Surround Yourself with Grit-Positive Influences

Grit isn't just individual — it thrives in a gritty culture. The people around you either reinforce grit — or quietly erode it. If you're trying to stick to a goal, but everyone around you is coasting or giving up, it gets harder. When you’re connected to others who are putting in the work — even imperfectly — it’s easier to stay on track.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Fun/Rewarding): Use the weekly habit tracker app to track habits with others pursuing real goals. Seeing progress — yours and theirs — reinforces the behavior you're trying to build.

6. Strengthen Emotional Endurance

Most people give up when things get emotionally uncomfortable. But grit requires building resilience — especially when you're overwhelmed, uncertain, or emotionally drained. Instead of pushing harder, the smarter move is to create systems that make showing up easier, more enjoyable, and part of your environment.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Easy, Obvious, and Fun):

• Lay out your gear or prep your space the night before

• Use music, lighting, or movement to create a “cue” that feels energizing

• Add a micro-reward — like checking off a habit or enjoying a small post-action ritual

When the action is obvious, friction-free, and enjoyable, ignoring it becomes harder than doing it.

Learn More: Top 10 Signs of Emotional Intelligence That Set You Apart

7. Measure Progress and Reinforce Growth

Progress isn’t always visible — but it’s almost always measurable. You might not see the full result yet, but if you’re showing up, taking action, and doing the work, you’re building grit. The key is making that effort visible. Tracking keeps you honest, motivated, and focused.

Momentum Habit Tip (Make It Automatic): Use the Weekly Habit Tracker App to check in every Sunday. Score your week, reflect briefly, and reset your plan. When you build reflection into your rhythm, improvement becomes inevitable.

Grit vs. Resilience

While grit and resilience are often mentioned together, they are distinct qualities, each playing a unique role in achieving long-term success. Understanding the differences between them can help you better navigate challenges and know when to apply each trait.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity, trauma, or setbacks. It’s about recovering quickly and continuing to move forward after experiencing difficulties. Resilience is your capacity to withstand stress and hardship without letting it permanently affect your goals or mental state.

Grit, on the other hand, is about sustained, long-term effort and passion for achieving goals. It’s the commitment to keep moving forward, even when progress is slow, and obstacles seem insurmountable. While resilience helps you bounce back from short-term challenges, grit keeps you committed to your long-term vision, regardless of how difficult the path becomes.

Read More: What Makes Life Worth Living

When to Use Each?

• Resilience: Apply resilience when you face setbacks or unexpected obstacles that throw you off course. It’s what helps you get back on your feet and refocus on your goals after a disruption.

• Grit: Grit comes into play when the challenge is ongoing, and success requires long-term dedication. It’s essential when working on something that demands perseverance over months or years, like building a business, pursuing a degree, or mastering a skill.

How to Develop Mental Grit

Developing mental grit is crucial for pushing through obstacles and staying focused on long-term goals. Emphasizing the importance of a growth mindset as a foundational element for improvement, here are three effective strategies to build mental grit:

1. Adopt a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset, popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can improve through effort and learning. This mindset is essential for mental grit because it helps you see challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than barriers. With this mindset, failures are not the end but rather steps toward improvement. You can learn more about growth mindset games that can help you in developing growth mindset.

2. Focus on Deliberate Practice

Deliberate practice involves putting in focused, goal-oriented effort to improve specific skills or abilities. It requires consistent effort and feedback, targeting areas where improvement is needed. This method strengthens consistency and discipline and builds a strong work ethic, which is important for developing mental grit.

3. Stay Committed to Passion and Perseverance

At the core of grit are passion and perseverance. Passion refers to a deep commitment to a meaningful goal, and perseverance is the ability to keep working toward that goal over time, no matter the difficulties. Staying committed to what matters helps you maintain focus, even when faced with setbacks.

Conclusion: How to develop Grit

Developing grit is the key to achieving long-term success, maintaining focus, and overcoming obstacles. Throughout this blog, we’ve explored the essential components of grit, from understanding what it is and why it’s important, to learning the five core characteristics that define gritty people.

To build grit:

• Focus on perseverance and passion, committing to your goals for the long haul.

• Break down your goals into small, manageable steps to make progress feel achievable.

• Use deliberate practice to strengthen your abilities over time, and remain committed to your goals, even when faced with setbacks.

Want to Make Grit a Built-In Habit?

You’ve just unlocked the blueprint for developing real grit — now let’s turn that insight into action with the Moore Momentum System.

Want to make grit a built-in habit instead of something you have to chase?

The Weekly Habit Tracker App gives you the structure, support, and science-backed nudges to stay consistent — even when life gets chaotic. It helps you gamify your life so personal growth actually becomes fun, rewarding, and addictively doable.

Here’s what you get inside:

• 🎯 A weekly tracker to monitor consistency and celebrate small wins

• 🤝 A built-in Accountability Hub so you’re never pushing alone

• 🧠 Personalized habit suggestions powered by science and tailored to you

• ⚡ Momentum Boosting Methods like “Make It Easy” and “Make It Obvious” baked right in

• 🌍 Full-life integration — so you’re building grit across all core areas of your life:  mindset, health, career, relationships, and emotional wellness

When you’ve got a system that works with you — not against you — grit stops being a struggle and starts becoming who you are.

FAQ Section About Developing Grit

In what ways can grit be developed?

• Cultivate a growth mindset and use deliberate practice to overcome challenges.

• High achievers reflect on their passion and perseverance, pushing forward despite setbacks.

• A sense of long-term commitment leads to success and enhances well-being.

How do I activate grit in challenging situations?

• Reflect on your passion and perseverance for your ultimate goal during tough moments.

• Focus on effort, not natural talent, in the given moment.

• Practice self-control and push forward, building more grit through difficult times.

How do you develop mental grit over time?

Mental grit develops through a combination of consistent effort, deliberate practice, and resilience. Gritty people are able to maintain focus on their long-term goals and overcome obstacles by using a growth mindset. Over time, these habits contribute to building mental toughness and strengthening their ability to achieve success.

What is the grit scale and how is it measured?

The grit scale, developed by leading grit researcher Angela Duckworth, measures an individual's passion and perseverance toward long-term goals. It helps define grit by assessing how well a person can maintain their effort over time, even when facing setbacks. Duckworth's research shows that effort counts more than talent when it comes to long-term success.

How do you develop grit in students?

Help students build grit by focusing on effort over outcomes. Encourage them to set clear goals, break tasks into small steps, and reflect after setbacks. Normalize failure as part of growth, celebrate consistency, and model perseverance in your own actions. Grit develops when students learn to stick with challenges — not avoid them.