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?

Looking Ahead to a Fruitful 2026

By Cathie Leimbach • December 30, 2025
As the New Year approaches, it’s a natural time to look forward and ask what you want the next chapter to bring. One simple way to reflect to ask yourself three questions to create a stronger year ahead, what should you: Stop?, Continue?, and Start? Stop focusing energy on habits, meetings, or expectations that no longer serve you or your team. This might mean letting go of outdated processes, unnecessary urgency, or ways of working that drain momentum without adding value. Continue the practices that helped you gain traction this year. Think about what worked—perhaps clear communication, strong collaboration, consistent follow-through, or time spent developing people. These are the behaviors worth protecting and reinforcing. Start being intentional about what will move you forward in 2026. This could include setting clearer priorities, investing in leadership development, building healthier team rhythms, or creating space for innovation and growth. Taking time to reflect now helps you enter the New Year with purpose rather than pressure. Small, thoughtful shifts can create meaningful impact over time. Ready to turn reflection into action?  👉 View our Stop • Continue • Start Worksheet for a simple, practical way to reset priorities, build on what’s working, and step into 2026 with clarity and momentum.

Take a Moment for Joy

By Cathie Leimbach • December 23, 2025
As the year comes to a close, it’s worth pausing to ask a simple question: What brought you joy this year at work and in life? Joy doesn’t always arrive in big, headline moments. Often, it shows up quietly—in meaningful conversations, shared laughter, progress made, lessons learned, or the steady presence of people who support us. Sometimes joy is found in growth, sometimes in rest, and sometimes in simply getting through a challenging season with resilience and grace. Take a few minutes to reflect. What moments made you smile? When did you feel most connected? For what are you grateful? This reflection isn’t about ignoring the hard parts of the year. It’s about honoring the bright spots that sustained you through them. Recognizing joy helps us close the year with perspective and open the next one with hope. As the holidays approach, give yourself permission to slow down, savor meaningful moments, and share joy with others—through kindness, gratitude, and presence.  May this season be filled with moments that lift your spirit, and may you carry that joy with you into the year ahead. 👉 Take a moment to pause this season—view the Reflecting on Joy one-pager and reflect on what brought meaning to your work and life this year. Wishing you a truly joy-filled Christmas season .