What Resilient People Know and Do to Build Grit

What Resilient People Know and Do to Build Grit:
10 Proven Traits of Highly Resilient People

In many ways, all of us are resilient. Yet some individuals demonstrate extraordinary resilience—those people whose stories make you wonder, “How did they do it?”

Think of figures like Nelson Mandela, 14th Dalai Lama, and Malala Yousafzai. Their lives reflect remarkable courage and perseverance. Still, resilience isn’t limited to famous figures—everyday people quietly demonstrate grit and strength in the face of adversity.

Researchers such as Al Siebert and Martin Seligman have identified patterns in how highly resilient people think, feel, and act. The encouraging truth? These are learnable skills.

10 Traits of Highly Resilient People

1. They care for their bodies
Resilient people understand the mind-body connection. Eating nourishing food, getting adequate rest, moderating alcohol, and avoiding smoking strengthen the body’s ability to handle stress.

2. They recognize and address stress early
Ignoring stress amplifies it. Naming what’s difficult—and either taking action or accepting what cannot be changed—reduces its intensity.

3. They take responsibility for their thoughts and emotions
Self-critical thinking can quietly shape your entire life. By reframing thoughts, you shift your emotional state, perspective, and ultimately your outcomes.

4. They know and use their strengths
Understanding your personal strengths allows you to contribute meaningfully at work, at home, and in your community. It also fosters a deeper sense of purpose.

5. They accept life’s contradictions
Life is not always logical or fair. Resilient people adapt rather than resist. As Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.”

6. They communicate clearly and effectively
Strong communication builds connection. It helps establish boundaries, reduce conflict, and create supportive, respectful relationships.

7. They build and lean on supportive relationships
Resilience grows in connection. Acts of kindness, empathy, forgiveness, and asking for help all strengthen the social networks that sustain us.

8. They create meaning from adversity
Resilient people don’t just endure hardship—they learn from it. By accepting what cannot be changed and changing what can, they transform pain into growth and wisdom.

9. They take ownership of their lives
While we cannot control everything that happens, we can choose our responses. Taking responsibility fosters empowerment and opens the door to growth and possibility.

10. They don’t take themselves too seriously
Humor, optimism, and gratitude lighten life’s load. These qualities encourage risk-taking, improve well-being, and bring more joy into everyday living.

Final Thought: Resilience Is a Skill You Can Build

You may already see yourself as resilient—or you may not. Either way, resilience is not fixed. It can be strengthened over time through intentional habits and mindset shifts.

With practice, you can develop the grit, clarity, and connection that define highly resilient people—and become one of the individuals others look to and ask, “How did they do it?”