I love watching the Olympics. I feel inspired by the talented and hard-working athletes. Every competitor has a story, and many of them involve sacrifice.

An Olympian from years past has a story I will not forget.

At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Dan Jansen was the gold medal favorite in the 500-meter speed skating sprint. He was 22-years old, and it was his second Olympic showing.

The morning of the event, Jansen learned that his older sister, Jane, had died from leukemia. It was a devastating loss.

With encouragement from his family, Jansen decided to compete in the race. He had trained for this day most of his life. Unfortunately, he fell in the first turn of the race, dashing his hopes for a medal.

Days later, he competed in the 1000-meter speed skating event where he was also a gold medal favorite and fell yet again. He arrived at the 1988 Olympics expecting to win and left empty-handed.

After learning of his sister’s death, Jansen could have withdrawn from the race. He could have packed his bags and returned home to the United States to be with his grieving family. People would have understood.

Instead, he chose to compete — in both events. He tried his best and displayed an impressive strength of character.

Would he come back in four years to compete again?

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Dictionary of Psychology, grit is “a personality trait characterized by perseverance and passion for achieving long-term goals.”

It is working hard for what you want despite adversity and failure.

A 2019 longitudinal study of 10,000 West Point cadets found that grit, compared to physical and cognitive abilities, was the best predictor of completing “Beast Barracks”, a grueling 6-week initiation program for cadets.

Furthermore, physical ability and grit were better predictors of successful graduation from West Point than cognitive abilities. This study concluded that grit plays a vital role in achievement outcomes.

We can be capable and well-prepared, but without passion and perseverance, we are less likely to succeed. Talent doesn’t guarantee success. One also needs the drive and stamina to persevere long after others have given up.

Do You Have Grit?

Angela Duckworth, a psychologist, professor, and best-selling author, developed a 10 question self-report questionnaire to help identify an individual’s level of grit.

The questions are face valid, but if you honestly answer them, you will get some valuable insights about how you face challenges. The Grit Scale also provides a score that tells you how you compare to other American adults in grittiness.

If you score lower on the scale than you would like, here are some strategies for getting grittier.

Cultivate a growth mindset

Grit and a growth mindset go hand in hand. We work longer and harder on our goals when we know that our efforts determine success.

A failure can be the end or a growth opportunity. The choice is ours.
Every setback tells us something about our strengths and weaknesses, and this feedback can be a stepping stone to success rather than a reason for quitting.

If we never take action that could result in rejection or failure, how do we know what we are capable of achieving?

Finish what you start

There have been times in my life when I wanted to give up. Most notably, during my first semester of graduate school.

I was in a doctoral program with challenging courses, long hours, and highly competitive classmates. It wasn’t a good fit for me, and I thought about quitting.

I didn’t.

Being too stubborn and proud to drop out, I focused on finishing instead of quitting. Despite knowing that it would be a difficult few years, I refused to give up on my goal.

The harder I worked, the easier it got, and my confidence grew from there.

Grit grows when we concentrate on finishing what we started, even when it is hard.

Of course, there are times when the best thing to do is to leave something that is no longer serving us (a career, relationship, field of study), but that is different than quitting because it is hard.

Borrow inspiration from others

Motivation is big business. There are numerous workshops, seminars, courses, and books on motivation because people want to hear success stories.

Mark Ruffalo, an Emmy award-winning and Oscar-nominated actor, has grit. Ruffalo revealed in a 2014 interview on CBS Sunday Morning that he had over 600 auditions before landing his break-out role.

He lost out on 600 acting jobs and still had the drive to attend another audition!

Helen Keller also had grit. She lost her sight and hearing when she was nineteen months old. Keller was trapped in a dark and silent world until she met an extraordinary teacher, Anne Sullivan.

With encouragement, guidance, and determination, Keller learned to communicate and became a college-educated lecturer and advocate for people with disabilities. You don’t get much grittier than that.

Humans aren’t the only ones who display grit. Step outside and see if you can find a determined plant growing through a concrete sidewalk. Or a beautiful flower that is pushing up through a bed of weeds.

When you feel like giving up, borrow inspiration from others. If they can do it, so can you.

Olympic Grit

Dan Jansen fought for ten long years to fulfill his dream of earning an Olympic medal. In 1994, during the Lillehammer Winter Games and six years after his sister’s death, he had one last opportunity to achieve his goal.

On race day, the energy in the stadium was electric. This was Dan Jansen’s fourth Olympics, and his career setbacks and family tragedy were known to many.

Jansen started the race strong. He steadily increased his lead over his competitor, and the crowd began cheering. The weight of the nation was on his shoulders supported by two thin blades and years of talent, hard work, and perseverance.

As Jansen crossed the finish line of the 1000-meter speed skating race, the TV camera panned to his family celebrating in the stands. An emotional moment captured for all to see.

After ten years, he earned his first and only Olympic medal, a gold, in his final race. Despite incredible challenges, he never gave up on his dream.

Jansen skated the victory lap carrying his infant daughter, Jane, named after his deceased sister, and the world celebrated with him.

Final Thoughts

Each of us encounters character-defining moments in our lives, but few have them broadcast to the world on live TV.

We choose how to respond to adversity, fear, and failure. It is easier to pick ourselves up and finish what we start with a growth mindset. When motivation is lacking, we can draw inspiration from others. The key to success is persevering despite challenges.

Dan Jansen showed the world that we may stumble and fall, but can rise again and ultimately triumph when we are powered by grit.

Jill is a clinical psychologist and writer. Subscribe here to get her articles straight to your inbox.