Raising Hope Because Grit Don’t Quit!
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.”
— Attributed to Vince Lombardi
Lombardi’s quote addresses the idea that grit is the will to keep pushing forward, and despite the difficulty, it is often a quality that determines who moves forward in life and who remains stuck in the space where the difficulty occurred.
I might know a little something about grit. My family has faced significant challenges, including the loss of five loved ones to suicide, one of whom was my father, and an extended period of dealing with a significant case of elder exploitation against my grandfather, which lasted for four years. The crime remains unresolved. It is purely by the will of God that my career is now in the field of prison ministry, while all these experiences – mine and those shared by others have played a pivotal role in deeply shaping my understanding of resilience, loss, and the importance of getting back up after your fall. It also fueled my passion for learning, teaching, and building meaningful connections with others.
Psychology expert Angela Duckworth authored the New York Times Bestseller Grit: The Power of Passion and
Perseverance. She first recognized the value of grit as a middle school math teacher when she noticed something that didn’t fit the traditional model of success. Some students with high IQs struggled academically, while others who weren’t the most gifted still managed to excel, driven by their effort and determination. What was the magic formula for their accomplishments? Was it talent or effort?
According to Duckworth, it wasn’t talent. Instead, four major components of grit together offer insight into how these students persevered. They were interested in a subject, which led to a willingness to practice it, resulting in a sense of purpose and hope.[1] These same qualities are affirmed in the book Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life by Gwinn and Hellman, which describes the four characteristics as “deeply interwoven and work together to support a person’s resilience and ability to achieve their goals.”[2]
Duckworth goes on to say that “Grit is not just about working hard; it is about working hard consistently.”[3] Megachurch Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life Church has frequently quoted that “Successful people do consistently what others do occasionally,”[4] a statement originating from Darren Hardy’s book The Compound Effect. But failure is also a key part of grit. In Carol Dweck’s book Mindset, we learned last week that a growth mindset welcomes the consequences of taking risks, including failure, because there is always something new to be learned from the experience.[5] Duckworth believes that having a growth mindset is crucial, asserting that abilities and intelligence can be developed with effort rather than being fixed traits. Can people with a closed mindset have grit? Perhaps on a limited scale. Those with a fixed mindset can be passionate about certain topics and can exhibit perseverance in working toward goals; they may never reach their full potential of grit.
In reading this book, I eventually asked myself how grit might relate to people in prison. The answer, I believe, is that grit plays a unique and powerful role in a prisoner’s ability to overcome adversity. They can actively participate in available courses and programs, which can develop new passions and ultimately transform their lives. Incarcerated people who possess an open mindset are more likely to pursue rehabilitation goals, despite the challenges of their circumstances. However, I am also a believer that addressing spiritual poverty through these courses and programs will help the participants embrace the lessons sooner and make their impact more likely to stick.
I understand that grit is a learned quality that is essential in helping people overcome challenges. It is what allows people to take risks, recognizing that no matter the outcome, lessons will be learned that will fuel personal growth. Grit helps people reduce negative influences while revealing new passions where purpose can be found. Ultimately, the gift of resilience is rooted in grit, which is the pathway to my favorite characteristic – hope!
[1] Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. First Scribner hardcover edition. New York: Scribner, 2016.
[2] Gwinn, Casey, and Chan M. Hellman. Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life. New York: Morgan James Publishing, 2022.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Hardy, Darren. The Compound Effect. Special. Hachette Go; Special Edition, 2020.
[5] Dweck, Carol. Mindset: How You Can Fulfil Your Potential; Business, Parenting, Scholl, Relationships. London: Robinson, 2012.
About the Author
Jennifer Eckert
Fundraising director, people connector, believer in second chances, fights poverty, supports justice reform, lives a life integrated with Matthew 25.10 responses to “Raising Hope Because Grit Don’t Quit!”
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Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing your personal experience. It’s interesting how God seems to work through our losses, weaknesses, challenges, and failures to prepare and position us to serve others. Thanks be letting God work though these painful parts of your lives, that have been redeemed, to be a source of healing for others.
How do you think that “Grace and Grit” function together in human development?
Thank you, Graham, for your kind words. Grace and grit definitely play vital roles in human development, especially regarding spiritual growth and healing. Through unearned grace, we find God’s unconditional love, which gives us the strength to persevere, even when we feel weak, unworthy, or incapable. God’s grace redeems our failures (my failures) and allows us to see our weaknesses so that He can shine through.
Jennifer, thank you for this post and for the recommendation of “Hope Rising”. Just ordered it!
I applaud you: every single time I hear you speak or read your writing, you are talking about prisons, and people in prisons, and people affected by prisons. You clearly have a passion for improving the lives of those who are incarcerated, as well as their families. You also have perseverance, because so few people in the US even think about the incarcerated (certainly not in the way you do!).
No question. Just expressing gratitude for who you are and for your willingness to follow on the often difficult road on which God has called you. Blessings my friend!
Thank you, sister! I needed that encouragement today. Blessings and provision of God’s best over you and your family.
Hi Jennifer, my favorite song lyric of all time is “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.” It seems like hope, biblical or otherwise might be essential in possessing ‘grit’. In your prison or other work, how can people grasp hope and use it as a stepping-stone?
O Holy Night—what a beautiful song! To answer your question, in my prison work (or outside of prison), my goal is to help people recognize their potential and self-worth. I try to encourage them to focus on small, achievable goals that can instill hope, which becomes a way to aim for bigger accomplishments. Celebrating their positive choices helps them push forward despite the challenges. Little by little, resilience grows so that hope is no longer just an emotion but, ideally, the pathway to lasting grit.
Hi Jennifer, Great post! I agree with you; hope is also my favorite grit asset. I am curious to know if you recall a specific season when hope most fueled your passion and perseverance to pursue something new. You’ve got grit, friend!
Thank you, friend. Honestly, that season is now as I pursue my doctoral studies. Balancing my career (lots of travel) and family obligations while navigating the required research and coursework can sometimes feel overwhelming, but I truly enjoy the topics we are studying. They are meaningful, and they give me hope that I can use the knowledge to help someone else along their faith/personal/professional journey.
Jennifer, thank you for sharing your personal experiences with loss and adversity, which have shaped your understanding of grit, resilience, and hope in prison ministry. Since an open mindset is essential for fostering grit among incarcerated individuals, what effective strategies can we implement in rehabilitation programs? How can we better support those with a fixed mindset in developing grit and embracing opportunities for personal growth?
Thank you, Chad, for your question. I think that encouraging an open mindset is vital to developing grit and perseverance in incarcerated individuals. One strategy is to foster a safe environment where they can take risks and small successes are celebrated (e.g., praying aloud for someone or sharing a scriptural reading from the podium). These wins help people build confidence and see that change is possible. Focusing on small goals can help shift the focus from a fixed mindset to one of growth, which is essential in cultivating the resilience that is so desperately needed in that environment.