iii. Grit, Resiliency, and Motivation

Grit and resiliency—these are two competencies that work hand-in-hand. Grit is “stick-to-it-tiveness,” or the ability to persevere toward a goal despite being confronted by obstacles and distractions. Those who possess grit are able to self-regulate and postpone their need for positive reinforcement while working diligently on a task. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from setbacks or difficulties. Although employers may or may not articulate the need for grit and resilience, they value the results in workers who persist, produce, take initiative, and don’t give up. More importantly, these competencies are valuable life skills, as they enable you to develop other competencies; they could be characterized as meta-competencies.

Angela Duckworth has been researching the characteristic and practice of grit with interesting results. The following video reviews her findings:

This video offers Angela Duckworth herself, telling the back story of her research into the characteristic of grit:

You can assess your own level of grit with Duckworth’s Grit Scale.

Psychologist Angela Duckworth defines grit as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s not about talent or intelligence—it’s about staying committed, working hard, and pushing through setbacks, even when motivation fades or success feels far away.

In college, grit is one of the most important traits you can develop. There will be moments when the excitement wears off and you’re just tired. You might struggle in a class, miss a deadline, or feel overwhelmed balancing school with work and life. That’s when grit kicks in. It’s what helps you keep showing up, asking for help, studying a little longer, or trying again after a failure.

Students with grit know that success is built over time, not in a single semester. They understand that learning something new might take effort, but that effort is part of the process. They view challenges not as stop signs, but as stepping stones.

Grit doesn’t mean you never struggle—it means you don’t give up when you do.