Some people are born with it.
With what?
Charisma, confidence, genius.
The rest of us?
We hustle. We stumble. We show up anyway. And sometimes, that makes all the difference.
We have all admired the naturally gifted. The prodigies who seem to float effortlessly toward success. But for many of us, the journey looks more like a grind.
- those who weren’t born ready, but showed up anyway
- those who didn’t fit the mold, yet built their own shape
- those who are neither particularly intelligent nor super talented but have the spirit to work extra hard for everything
(the author is a life long member of the above mentioned communities)
Why We Idolize Effortless Genius?
From childhood, we are wired to admire the ones who “just have it.”
The classmate who topped exams without trying, the colleague who speaks like a TED Talk on legs. There’s something seductive about effortlessness as if ease itself is proof of destiny.
But here’s the problem: when we overvalue talent, we quietly undervalue effort. If you’re not instantly good at something, the world often nudges you to move on, to “know your limits.”
Many of us have internalized this message and quit before giving ourselves a chance to grow.
The Quiet Power of Showing Up
Grit isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t sparkle on a résumé or turn heads in a meeting room. But in my own life, it’s what made the biggest difference.
I did not plan on being a leader. I was nudged. Okay, pushed into it. For a while, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I wasn’t the loudest voice in the room or sometimes the most confident. But I kept showing up. I kept listening, learning, questioning. Somewhere along the way, that quiet consistency became my edge.
Talent may open doors, but grit makes sure you walk through them. Even if you're limping sometimes.
Being Unready Can Be an Advantage
Let us talk about imposter syndrome. That nagging feeling that you're winging it while everyone else has the manual. When I stepped into my leadership role, it hit me hard and continues to, albeit with lesser intensity. I have many times felt like a placeholder, not a decision-maker.
But here’s what I’ve learned.
Feeling unready often means you're exactly where you need to be. Growth rarely feels like comfort. In fact, discomfort is often a signal that you're on the edge of a breakthrough. It is where real transformation begins, not when you're certain, but when you're unsure and still take action.
When you're not relying on your title or experience to carry you, you become more intentional. You listen more. You reflect deeper. You take feedback seriously without playing the victim card. This very posture of this humility builds real confidence over time.
So, do not fear the feeling of being unready. Use it. Let it stretch you.
Because the people who grow the most aren’t always the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones who gathered the courage to ask the right questions despite the possibility of looking and sounding stupid. For two seconds.
The truth is, the people who feel like they do not belong 'there' are often the ones doing the hardest, most honest work. Universe rewards us sooner or later.
You Become What You Persist Through
Over time, grit shapes more than your skills. It shapes your identity.
Whether I’m building a team from scratch, dealing with suppliers that Saturn wouldn't want to, or visualizing and designing digital art for my online stores, it is not always talent that carries me forward. It is the mindset I have developed through trial and self-reflection. That grit shows up in how I approach creativity, problem-solving, even how I relate to people.
We live in a world that loves quick wins. But grit teaches you the long game which is made up of resilience, patience, discipline and self-respect. And once you've earned those, you start to see challenges not as obstacles, but as invitations to rise.
Believe me or not, the path starts to unravel right in front of you as you keep walking.
Conclusion
Talent may give you a head start, but grit gets you to the finish line. If you're still in the game, still learning, still daring to grow, you are never behind.
You are being forged. And forged things? They just don’t break easily.
So the next time you feel like you are not enough, remember this. Progress doesn’t always feel powerful. Sometimes, it just looks like showing up again, a little steadier than yesterday. Your only competition is your past self, from yesterday, last week or last month.
Keep building. Keep becoming. You are not late, you are just on a longer, stronger road.
After all, diamonds were not born. They were pressured into brilliance.
Did you know that you are awesome?🫶