67 Grit Quotes to Persevere When Times are Tough

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We’ve all had those feelings of uncertainty and worry; a lack of self-belief or faith that we’ve got what it takes. And whilst giving up may seem like the easier option, breaking through that wall of self-doubt is the key to a happy you.

Because you can do this: You have the strength to dig deep with grit and perseverance. And to face your hurdles head-on.

Take a deep breath. Be kind to yourself. And find the courage to see the problem through. Yes, it may be difficult, but without challenge, there is no victory.

In this article, we’ll look through 67 grit quotes to help you persevere when times are tough.

Let’s get to it…

Why Is It Important to Find Grit and Persevere When Times Are Tough?


Obstacles are part of life. They can be something simple, like a long queue in your favourite coffee shop or wanting to log in to an online account but forgetting your password.

Equally, it could be the need for perfection, a build-up of irrational fears or the pressure from constantly comparing yourself to others. And whilst these are completely natural emotions, they can become all-consuming and cause a stumbling block in your road.

The decision to push through these difficult times is not always an easy one. But without doing so, the ‘what if’ thoughts will raise their ugly heads.

What if you’d stuck with it for just a little bit longer? What if you’d broken down the problems and dealt with them a little at a time?

Challenge yourself to ask these questions before you give up, as the answers may help you see through the darkness. By breaking down the barriers, your load will become lighter and your expectations more achievable.

Whether adversity lies at work, in your relationships, or just in everyday tasks, show grit and determination throughout. Keep hold of the passion that led you there, accept the setbacks you face and place value on the inner strength you’ve gathered to keep going.

A positive mindset will help you to achieve your goals. And these inspirational grit quotes are to help you on your way.

67 Grit Quotes to Persevere When Times are Tough

  1. “Every great story happened when someone decided not to give up.” – Spryte Loriano
  2. “Your dreams are on the other side of your grit.” – Unknown
  3. “Grit is that ‘extra something' that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.” – Travis Bradberry
  4. “Grit is the stubborn refusal to quit.” – Unknown
  1. “Grit is not just simple elbow-grease term for rugged persistence. It is an often invisible display of endurance that lets you stay in an uncomfortable place, work hard to improve upon a given interest, and do it again and again.” – Sarah Lewis
  2. “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon not a sprint.” – Unknown
  3. “Grit is grown outside the comfort zone.” – Unknown
  4. “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” – William Feather
  5. “Grit is sticking with your future day in, day out and not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years.” – Angela Lee Duckworth
  6. “Remember how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be.”  – Rick Warren
  7. “The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.” – Harry Golden
  8. “Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief – everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.” – Dustin Poirier
  9. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
  10. “You have a choice! You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face!” – Unknown
  11. “Grace, Gratitude, Grit.” – Unknown
  12. “Grit has two components: passion and perseverance.” – Angela Duckworth
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  1. “Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.” – Bill Cosby
  2. “Humans are creatures of habit. If you quit when things get tough, it gets that much easier to quit the next time. On the other hand, if you force yourself to push through it, the grit begins to grow in you.” – Travis Bradberry
  3. “Grit. Push yourself to the limit.”  – Unknown
  4. “Grit is the persistence in following your own destiny.”  – Paul Bradley Smith
  5. “Over time, grit is what separates fruitful lives from aimlessness.” – John Ortberg
  6. “Grit, in a word, is stamina. But it's not just stamina in your effort. It's also stamina in your direction, stamina in your interests. If you are working on different things but all of them very hard, you're not really going to get anywhere. You'll never become an expert.” – Wade Davis
  7. “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
  8. “Greatness requires internal toughness.” – Unknown
  9. “Above everything else I’ve done, I’ve always said I’ve had more guts than I’ve got talent.” – Dolly Parton
  10. “Grit means not taking no for an answer, and sticking to your guns.” –  Levison Wood 
  11. “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” – Newt Gingrich
  12. Success doesn’t just happen. It is a product of hard work, grit and ingenuity.” – Ogwo David Emenike
  13. “True grit is making a decision and standing by it, doing what must be done. No moral man can have peace of mind if he leaves undone what he knows he should have done.” – John Wayne
  14. “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” – George Washington
  15. “Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson
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  1. “I kept going. The decisions I've had to make, the setbacks, the feeling of having my back against the wall, I was determined that I had the grit.” – Eddy Alvarez
  2. “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
  3. “It’s gonna get harder before it gets easier. But it will get better, you just gotta make it through the hard stuff first.” – Unknown
  4. “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day-in, day-out. Not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years. And working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” – Angela Duckworth
  5. “There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can.” – Henry Ford
  6. “Grit is picking yourself up and moving forward even when you think you can’t take one more step.”  – Christy Mossburg
  7. “Cultivating holistic wealth helps us to be mentally tough and to have grit to weather the inevitable storms and setbacks that life brings.” – Keisha Blair
  8. “Grit, the raw endurance, perseverance and passion that keeps you going despite obstacles.” – Unknown
  9. “The future bears down upon each one of us with all the hazards of the unknown. The only way out is through.” – Plutarch
  10. “True grit is staying in the game when others would have dropped the ball and left the park.” – Unknown

True grit is staying in the game when others would have dropped the ball and left the park.” – Unknown

  1. “I think my story relates. When I started out, all I had was my passion and grit.” – Huda Kattan
  2. “Life is messy. Grit and grace come at us fast, side by side. Sometimes the grit becomes overwhelming and diminishes our spirit. What’s good seems lost and gone forever. This is a story about the pathway back to what’s beautiful, when the way back seems impossible.” –  Sharon E. Rainey
  3. “Every day do something that will inch you closer to be a better tomorrow.” – Unknown
  4. “A grit mind strengthens all of your strengths.” – Pearl Zhu
  5. “Grit is having the courage to do the right thing, regardless of the popularity or consequences.” – Joan Hall
  6. “Grit. Refusing to give up, pushing to the limit, wiping the sweat off the face in order to make a better tomorrow.” – Unknown
  7. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
  8. “What is grit? Grit is refusing to give up. It’s persistence. It’s making your own luck.” – Peter Diamandis
  9. “It’s just as important to know when to drop something and shift direction as it is to know when to stick with something. When we quit the things that aren’t working for us, we free up our willpower and perseverance for the things that really do matter.”  – Rich Karlgaard
  10. “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.” – Walter Bagehot
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  1.  “The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying.”  – John C. Maxwell
  2. “A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.” – Elbert Hubbard
  3. “Grit, a positive trait based on passion, perseverance, and motivation.” – Unknown
  4. “Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.”  – James A. Michener
  5. “Grit: Refusing to give, pushing to the limit, wiping the sweat off the face in order to make a better tomorrow.” – Unknown
  6. “I can. I will. End of story.” – Unknown
  7. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed no hope at all.” –  Dale Carnegie
  8. “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” – Steve Jobs
  9. “Effort is one of those things that gives meaning to life. Effort means you care about something, that something is important to you and you are willing to work for it.” – Carol Dweck
  10. “Successful people aren’t born successful. Behind it all there is hard work, persistence and a lot of grit.” – Arshad Wahedna
  11. “Never hope for it more than you work for it.” – Sonya Teclai
  12. “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
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  1. “Work hard. Be smart. Don’t give up.” – Unknown
  2. “Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton
  3. “There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans, and may seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it. Listen to your instincts and ignore everything else. Ignore logic, ignore the odds, ignore the complications and just go for it.” – Judith McNaught
  4. “I won’t just have a job; I’ll have a calling. I’ll challenge myself every day. When I get knocked down, I’ll get back up. I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I’ll strive to be the grittiest.” – Angela Duckworth

Final Thoughts on Finding Grit and Perseverance When Times Are Tough   Whilst

walking away from a tough situation may seem like the easy option, pushing through will always be more rewarding. Why not find your favorite grit quote and use it to remind yourself how strong and determined you really are.  

Consider breaking down your problems or confronting them from a different perspective. A positive mindset will put you on the right path, and you can start with these 60 Affirmations to Experience a Positive Change in Your Life.

Keep moving forward, no matter what. And remember, you’ve got this.

And if you want more eye-opening quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:

Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.

Rebel Jones has been writing from a young age. She first used poetry to organise words – the rhythm and flow brought peace to her chaos. But as she developed (both as a person and as a writer), she embraced her offbeat thought process and found her own style and tone. Writing is definitely her happy place and one that she’s happy to share with the world.

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