Your Grit Determines Your Expertise

Cathie Leimbach • November 1, 2022

In her book, GRIT, Angela Duckworth shares how all of us can develop our grit to become an expert in our chosen field. The process itself is simple, although it is not easy.

Grit is the ability to persist towards a goal even when we experience setbacks. Duckworth further defines grit as ‘having the passion and perseverance for long-term goals’. 

Passion is having a strong feeling or emotion. If we have a strong interest in something – great enthusiasm for the topic – we want to give it time and energy.  We work well into the night. We might prefer to spend Friday night learning more about our favorite topic than going to a movie with friends. We share our excitement at a family picnic or during Thanksgiving dinner. Our passion is evident!

Persistence is doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.  When our future goal truly matters to us, we are driven by the prospect of long-term success rather than focusing on short-term rewards or fun. We have the discipline to work towards the goal day after day, week after week. Being persistent includes acknowledging progress along the way rather than being discouraged by the investment required along the way.

Becoming an expert takes 10,000 hours of quality practice or experience, often over 5 to 10 years. It is important to make step-by-step progress along the way. We can’t become an expert in everything at once. The way highly successful people become experts, is by developing their expertise bit by bit. They follow the ‘expert practice’ model. This involves practicing one part of the skill set, practicing it with full concentration, getting timely feedback, and modifying your approach in response to the feedback. 

Living with grit to become an expert, requires that we are passionate about the long-term goal, we are persistent about moving forward despite setbacks, and we are intentional about practicing expert behavior bit by bit.

What goal are you so passionate about that you are willing to persist with years of expert practice to attain?

Inspire Positivity Through Hope

By Cathie Leimbach • August 5, 2025
Leadership isn't just about solving problems—it's about fostering a culture of hope. Hope is a powerful force that can transform workplaces, especially during challenging times. When leaders embody hope, they inspire their teams to believe in a brighter future and persevere through adversity. A hopeful leader sees beyond obstacles and focuses on opportunities. They set clear goals, celebrate small victories, and maintain a positive outlook even in the face of uncertainty. By nurturing hope, they empower their team to stay motivated and resilient. Imagine a workplace where every challenge is met with optimism and every setback is seen as a learning opportunity. That's the environment a hopeful leader cultivates—one where individuals feel supported, valued, and capable of achieving great things together. Let's embrace hope as a cornerstone of leadership. Together, we can create workplaces where positivity thrives, challenges are conquered, and success is a shared journey.

How Leadership Development Powers Economic Growth

By Cathie Leimbach • July 29, 2025
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a respected professor at Harvard Business School, has spent her career connecting the dots between leadership and economic innovation. Her work shows that developing strong leaders doesn’t just benefit companies—it creates ripple effects that boost entire communities and economies. Effective leaders encourage teamwork, spark innovation, and help their organizations adapt to change. That kind of forward-thinking leadership attracts investment, drives productivity, and supports long-term growth. Kanter believes leadership isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic asset. She famously said, “Strategic leadership is an economic resource,” reminding us that developing talent is more than an HR initiative—it’s an engine for prosperity. But good leaders aren’t born overnight. Building strong leadership takes training, mentorship, and a commitment to continuous learning. And when businesses and governments make that investment, the rewards show up as better jobs, stronger institutions, and thriving local economies. Kanter’s research is clear: the path to economic progress starts with leadership development. If we want innovation and growth, we need people equipped to lead with vision and impact.  👉 Want to explore this connection further? Check out: How Good Leadership Helps Innovation and Growth