Grit isn't a personality trait — it's something you can build. In this episode, leadership expert Lara "LJ" Johnson breaks down how the "born with it or not" myth holds people back and what grit actually looks like in real life. You'll learn why the "muscle through" mentality fails most teams, why most people stay trapped in negative thought loops, and the tools that helped Lara survive life's toughest moments. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) From homelessness to rebuilding her life in the U.S. (01:35) Belief as the difference between quitting and finding a solution (07:37) The tragedy that inspired the Global Grit System (10:32) How the 54321 grounding technique saved her life (13:42) The aftermath: why she wrote 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘉𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 (16:51) Global Grit System: 4 principles and 4 types of grit (20:28) Why choosing the right spouse matters for entrepreneurs and leaders (22:43) Becoming a U.S. citizen and pursuing the American dream (24:33) The reality and strength of military families (27:37) What brought you JOY today? (29:21) Text GRIT to 33777 to get LJ's free Global Accountability Guide! If you're a writer who wants to take control of your finances, read Mitlin Financial's Write Your Financial Future: A Financial Guide for Authors: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/insights/blog/write-your-financial-future-a-financial-guide-for-authors/ Resources: Sending your child to college will always be emotional but are you financially ready? Take the College Readiness Quiz for Parents: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/college-readiness-quiz/ Doing your taxes might not be enJOYable but being more organized can make the process less painful. Get Your Gathering Your Tax Documents Checklist: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mitlin_ChecklistForGatheringYourTaxDocuments_Form_062424_v2.pdf Will you be able to enJOY the Retirement you envision? Take the Retirement Ready Quiz: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/retirement-planning-quiz/ Connect with Larry Sprung: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencesprung/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larry_sprung/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceDSprung/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/Lawrence_Sprung Connect with Lara "LJ" Johnson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larawylesjones/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officiallaraj Website: http://www.officiallaraj.com/ About Our Guest: Lara Johnson is one of the most requested speakers on grit and is an award-winning Leadership Performance and Grit Development Expert, International Keynote Speaker, Creator of the Global G.R.I.T. System®, Creator of the Grit Type Indicator®, Founder and CEO of TWO global businesses Be A Legend and G.R.I.T. Global®, author of the bestselling book "Hunt to Be Hunted", a sought after executive coach and competitive athlete. Lara has also been recognized as one of the fastest growing and most influential entrepreneurs in the U.S., being spotlighted and named in the prestigious Marquis "Who's Who in America" owing to her noteworthy achievements and accomplishments that have proved to be of significant value to society. Originally from the UK and now residing in Arizona, US, Lara has a track record of skyrocketing companies into multimillion-dollar empires. She has been crowned the WORLDWIDE STEVIE® Award Winner NINE times for "Woman of the Year," "Female Entrepreneur of the Year," "Female Executive of the Year," and "Best Female Thought Leader of the Year" for her creation of the Global G.R.I.T. System®, the Grit Type Indicator® and her contributions within her field, most recently being featured on the NASDAQ Billboard in New York Times Square for winning an international award for the Top Grit Development and Performance Expert of the Year. As the renowned Global Grit Girl®, Lara has channeled her deep expertise and research into creating the Global G.R.I.T. System®. She works with Fortune 100 companies, the US military, celebrities, and executives identifying the four 'elements' of grit and the four 'types' of grit, unlocking, developing and enhancing grit, to do the hard things when it matters most, increase performance and teach the skills through her Global G.R.I.T. System®. She teaches how anyone can break out of the comfort zone permanently, push past the fear zone, into the learning zone to achieve growth, without burning out and how to use grit effectively through times of change, whether you think you have it or not. Featured on major networks such as PBS, CBS, Fox News, ABC, and NBC, for her grit and resilience facing the loss of her youngest son and nearly her own life as well as her work in the development of grit as a system, has inspired many. Renowned household names including Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, KPMG, Northwestern Mutual, Schlumberger, Western Alliance Bank, and many more, have enlisted Lara to elevate their teams' performance and cultivate grit through her speaking, workshops, and programs. Lara is wife to a US Army Senior Non-Commissioned Officer and mother to young children, while also serving on the advisory board for Warrior Rising, a national non-profit organization helping veterans transition from military to entrepreneurship. She also sits on the committee for Dignity Health's Foundation "Heaven Hummingbirds," providing program development and emotional and psychological support for parents who have lost children. Disclosure: Guests on the Mitlin Money Mindset are not affiliated with CWM, LLC, and opinions expressed herein may not be representative of CWM, LLC. CWM, LLC is not responsible for the guest's content linked on this site. This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com
