The Science and Psychology of Grit: Why Perseverance Still Matters
Getting Gritty
In a culture increasingly obsessed with hacks, dopamine loops, and hyper-optimization, it’s easy to forget that most worthwhile achievements require one thing above all: staying power. Long-term effort in pursuit of long-term goals — that is what grit is. Popularized by psychologist Angela Duckworth, “grit” has become something of a modern mantra for those chasing excellence not through genius, but through stamina.
Yet beneath the surface of this now-ubiquitous term lies a complex, evolving psychological construct — one that deserves close scrutiny, especially for men in the 25 to 55 age range, navigating careers, families, health, and identity in a world of competing demands and distractions.
This article aims to unpack grit through the lens of scientific literature, psychotherapy, and lived experience. It offers not just a definition, but an evidence-informed understanding of how grit works, when it helps, and how to cultivate it responsibly — without romanticizing burnout or blind persistence.
Grit is often simplified as “hard work.” But Duckworth and colleagues (2007) framed it more precisely as the combination of passion and perseverance over the long term. Passion here doesn’t mean intensity or enthusiasm in the moment. It means consistency of interests over years — an alignment with a mission, a set of values, or a central goal that doesn’t change every few months. Perseverance, meanwhile, is about sustained effort — not only showing up, but staying the course, especially when there are no short-term rewards.
This dual structure is what makes grit psychologically distinct. It’s not just about enduring difficulty. It’s about enduring difficulty in the name of something that matters deeply to you.
State of Grit Science
Initial research on grit was promising. It predicted performance among military cadets, student retention, spelling bee champions, and workplace success (Duckworth et al., 2007). Grit seemed to capture something that IQ and talent alone could not. And in a society grappling with instant gratification, that made it very appealing.
As with most psychological constructs that go viral, grit has drawn criticism — much of it warranted. For one, it’s highly correlated with conscientiousness, a Big Five personality trait known to predict similar outcomes (Credé et al., 2017). Some argue that grit is simply conscientiousness with better branding. Others point out that the “passion” component — consistency of interests — is often the weaker predictor. Many high performers pivot across domains, evolving their interests while sustaining effort and discipline.
More importantly, grit is not equally adaptive in every context. Blind perseverance can lead to sunk-cost traps. Sticking to a goal that no longer aligns with your values or reality is not admirable — it’s pathological. Grit is not an argument for never quitting. It’s an argument for strategic perseverance, in service of aims that matter.
Grit on the brain
At the level of brain and behavior, grit intersects with several key psychological processes.
It connects to goal orientation. People high in grit tend to set longer time horizons and break down distant goals into manageable steps (Duckworth et al., 2007). They’re more likely to pursue intrinsic goals — those tied to identity and meaning — rather than extrinsic ones like money or status. This enhances their ability to stay engaged even in the absence of immediate feedback or rewards.
Grit also requires emotional regulation. The ability to tolerate discomfort, boredom, frustration, and uncertainty is fundamental. Grit is not just about effort; it’s about enduring emotional states that usually derail effort.
Can grit be learned?
Fortunately, the answer is yes — to a degree. Grit is partly heritable and temperament-based, but numerous studies suggest it can be cultivated through intentional interventions (Park et al., 2020). Growth mindset training, for example, teaches individuals that abilities are not fixed and that effort leads to improvement. This belief fuels perseverance.
Programs like the “I CAN” intervention or grit-enhancement workshops in medical and educational settings have shown moderate success in increasing self-reported grit scores and related outcomes (Calo et al., 2022; Calo et al., 2025).
Though grit is not a clinical diagnosis, it often becomes a target in therapy, especially for men in transitional life stages. In therapy, grit often emerges in work around values clarification and goal setting — especially in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes et al., 2012). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy also supports grit by targeting the beliefs that sabotage perseverance (Beck, 2011).
The choice to keep going when it would be easier to stop
Grit is not a substitute for skill, opportunity, or health. It cannot overcome every obstacle. It should not be used to justify suffering or exploitation. And it can be counterproductive if misapplied — when you’re chasing the wrong goal, or grinding yourself into the ground.
Still, when used wisely, grit is a powerful ally. It turns ideals into outcomes and bridges the space between potential and reality. It is the difference between saying you want something — and actually getting it.
In the end, grit is not just a psychological variable. It is the choice to keep going when it would be easier to stop and the capacity to sacrifice comfort for meaning. And in a culture addicted to novelty, convenience, and quick fixes, it may be one of the most radical things you can develop.
So if you’re a man in the thick of it — career on the line, family in the balance, health in question — consider this: grit is not about being fearless or flawless. It’s about being faithful to your values, your path and to the work. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.
References
Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Calo, M., MacDonald, R., & Casey, M. (2022). Predicting physical therapist student success using grit and academic achievement. Physical Therapy, 102(6), 38.
Credé, M., Tynan, M. C., & Harms, P. D. (2017). Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 492–511.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change(2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Park, D., Yu, A., Baelen, R. N., Tsukayama, E., Duckworth, A. L., & Job, V. (2020). The development of grit and growth mindset during adolescence. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 192, 104–273.
