In Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Angela Duckworth reminds us that success isn’t just about talentit’s about persistence and passion over the long run. One of the most practical lessons she shares is the Hard Thing Rule: do something uncomfortable every day that challenges you and stretches your limits. What stood out to me most is that growth only happens outside the comfort zone. If you want to get stronger, you must consistently face challenges instead of staying where it feels easy. That’s why I’ve chosen my own “hard thing”: focusing on one thing at a time. For me, the real challenge is resisting distractions and giving my full energy to one priority until it’s complete. It may seem simple, but it’s uncomfortable—and that’s the point. Every day I practice this discipline, I’m building my grit muscle.
Reading Relentless by Tim Grover felt like a direct challenge to me. Grover trained legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and he makes it clear that what separates them from everyone else isn’t talent, it’s mindset. He describes the kind of people he calls Cleaners—those who never settle, take full responsibility, and do whatever it takes to win. What I took from this book is simple but tough: if I want to go from good to unstoppable, I have to let go of excuses and own every result in my life. That means no blaming circumstances, no waiting for motivation, just showing up and doing the hard work every single day. For me, the “relentless” mindset is about focusing on results over comfort. I don’t have to enjoy every grind, but I have to love what the grind produces. I also have to embrace discomfort and pressure, because that’s where real growth happens. This book reminded me that discipline beats talent, and that being relentless is a choice. Every day, I have to decide: am I going to be average, or am I going to step up like the greats? For me, the answer is clear—I choose to be relentless.