A couple weeks ago I finished the book Grit by Angela Duckworth.
I’d always heard it was a classic must-read but it never made it to the top of my list.
After a friend was gushing over it, I knew it was time.
It’s one of those books that sticks with you—not because it promises a shortcut to success, but because it reminds you that there are no shortcuts.
Just real, honest effort over time (it also has a fantastic chapter on parenting!).
Duckworth defines grit as the combination of passion and perseverance over the long term. And as I read it, I kept thinking: This is exactly what people need to hear when it comes to fitness—especially later in life.
You can count this as my recommendation to read Grit, and I wanted to share my takeaways with you as the book is fantastic when it comes to getting – and staying – healthy and fit.
So here are six of the most powerful lessons from Grit—and how they apply to your own fitness journey.
🔥 1. Grit = Passion + Perseverance
Duckworth says: Long-term success isn’t about raw talent—it’s about caring deeply and refusing to quit so you stick with something long-term.
In fitness: You don’t have to love exercise to start. In fact, most people I know who exercise consistently (including other trainers and gym owners), started exercising because they didn’t love it.
But if you care about your health, your independence, and feeling good in your body, then you already have the seeds of passion.
Add in perseverance—the decision to keep showing up even when life gets in the way—and you’re on the right track.
Real change doesn’t come from perfect workouts. It comes from imperfect consistency.
And it is okay if exercise is something you aren’t passionate about. It’s a means to an end.
You just need to be passionate about your goals.
📈 2. Effort Counts Twice
Duckworth’s formula:
Talent × Effort = Skill
Skill × Effort = Achievement
In fitness: Even if you don’t think of yourself as “athletic,” every bit of effort you put in counts.
Every walk, every rep, every mindful movement builds skills—like better balance, stronger joints, more confidence.
And when you apply those skills consistently, you achieve things you may not have thought possible: lifting heavy groceries, climbing stairs without fear, or doing things you didn’t think you’d be able to do.
Even if you don’t feel like you have much natural talent for exercise, you can build the skill with a bit of extra effort.
And once you have some skill, keeping up the effort means you achieve your goals.
💡 3. Interest Comes First—But It Must Be Cultivated
Duckworth says: Passion isn’t found—it’s developed over time.
In fitness: You don’t have to be excited about working out from day one.
But you can build interest over time.
Maybe it’s that energized feeling after a morning stretch, realizing your knees don’t hurt as much after walks, or feeling like you have more energy in the middle of the afternoon than you used to have.
Pay attention to those small wins. They turn “I guess I should work out” into “Hey, this actually feels good.”
Ask anyone who’s in good shape and good health how they did it, and it’s always a version of “I workout regularly and eat well about 80% of the time, and I just keep doing that”.
🧱 4. Practice With Purpose
Duckworth says: Deliberate practice—not just repetition—leads to mastery.
In fitness: Mindless reps don’t get you far. But intentional, focused practice does.
At LSFW, we coach you to move with purpose: improving your posture, building strength that protects your joints, and training real-world skills like getting up off the floor or reaching overhead safely.
Those in turn lead to using the right muscles to avoid compensation or injury, building muscle tone in the areas you want it, building full body strength – including core and low back, and improving your cardio so you have better endurance.
I’ve joked before that each individual workout doesn’t really matter. But the compounding effects of workouts over time matters immensely.
Every session becomes not just a workout, but a step toward a stronger, more capable you.
🌪️ 5. Embrace a Growth Mindset
Duckworth says: Gritty people believe they can get better with effort.
In fitness: You are not too old. You are not too stiff or too far gone. That’s a myth.
Your body still learns. Your mind still learns. Your strength can still grow. Your balance can still improve.
If you don’t believe that, you can prove yourself wrong by doing it anyway. You start to feel better. You start to look better. You start to see the wins, and you start to believe.
When you believe that progress is possible—even if you feel like it’s slower than it used to be—you keep the door open to better movement, better health, and better days ahead.
🧭 6. Higher Purpose Fuels Grit
Duckworth says: Grit deepens when our goals connect to meaning.
In fitness: If you’re just working out to “lose weight” or “get toned,” it might not stick.
If you’re moving your body to stay independent… to play with grandkids… to enjoy travel or protect your health… now you have a higher purpose purpose.
And purpose helps you push through tough weeks and keep going when motivation dips. That’s the fuel that keeps the fire alive.
I started exercising as a teenager because I wanted to look good naked. It worked, for a little bit.
With my very colorful, complicated injury history, I realized I needed to exercise to not hurt (just because you hit a certain age doesn’t mean it’s normal for things to just hurt).
It took me a long time to accept that.
Now I exercise because I want to keep doing the things I love
- Bike rides to get ice cream after dinner
- Hikes when we go on vacation (like the 10km Katja and I just did in Banff to see areas not full of tourists)
- Carrying a canoe through the wilderness when we go camping (like I am this weekend in Killarney)
- And whatever else comes my way
To be honest, I’d rather just be able to do those things without trying. I’m incredibly lazy.
But if I have to spend 2-3 hours a week exercising, it’s a small price to pay for the memories I’ll create.
Final Thought:
Grit isn’t about grinding yourself into the ground. It’s about caring deeply and showing up anyway, even when it feels busy or hard.
That’s what fitness after 50 is all about.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You don’t even need to love it.
You just need to be persistent.
And if you’re ready to build that kind of grit—with support, guidance, and workouts designed for real life—we’re here for you at LSFW.
Let’s keep moving forward. Together.
