Grit is an aspect of an athlete’s mental game that can separate them from the rest. In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth defines grit as the key combination of passion and perseverance that allows for a steadfastness in pursuit of goals that contributes to success. In years of studying what predicts success among all types of people, Duckworth found grit to be the one variable that stuck out. It wasn’t skill or intelligence, but rather, the unique combination of passion and perseverance that set individuals apart. Talent alone is not what makes people gritty. In fact, there can often be an inverse relationship between the two. It is the consistent work ethic towards a goal you are passionate about that creates the grittiness that drives success.
Being a gritty athlete takes having a true love of your sport combined with relentless practice to continue honing your skills. If you feel passionate about your sport but do not demonstrate perseverance, you may love what you do but not get the most out of yourself because you do not develop and execute consistent habits that support your goals. Athletes who persevere are able to push themselves when training gets hard because they know it will pay off to put in the time and effort. If you are an athlete who always perseveres but the true passion for the sport is not there, a lack of day-to-day enjoyment and purpose will quickly lead to burnout. The key to athlete longevity and success is to cultivate both passion and perseverance. Without perseverance, an athlete’s dream becomes merely a wish because they are not putting in the work necessary to develop. Without the passion, all of the hard work will feel pointless and unfulfilling.
NBA player Steph Curry is an athlete who exemplifies true grit. Curry stresses the importance of finding what it is in life that you are passionate about and working at it relentlessly. He has battled through all types of adversity including being one of the smaller players throughout his career, not getting top NCAA scholarship offers, and having repeated ankle injuries, all the while never quitting when times get difficult. He credits his ability to push through when times are hard to his love for the game. It is this special combination of passion and perseverance that sets Curry apart from his competitors.
For athletes to develop grit, it is imperative that they adopt a growth mindset, persisting through setbacks and obstacles, and not seeing them as failures, but rather, experiences from which to grow. Social psychologist Carol Dweck developed the theory of growth mindset to show how people’s abilities can improve through effort. She emphasizes the importance of praising effort rather than talent to build the capacity for a growth mindset. Athletes who embrace a mindset of growth don’t see failure as a permanent condition. They see failure as an opportunity to learn and improve, demonstrating a consistent work ethic throughout their experiences with adversity. This relentless perseverance through challenging moments in athletics is possible when there is an unwavering passion for sport and competition itself, as well as a genuine enjoyment in the pursuit of improvement.
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