When It’s Not Easy, It’s Earned.

By: Jonathan Briscoe

They call them the dog days of summer; long, hot, draining. And they’re not just about the temperature. If you’ve ever found yourself in a season where the days move both fast and slow, the weight of your commitments feels a little heavier, and the well of inspiration is running dry… you’re not alone. I’m in it, too.

I feel as if I wrap up one task or milestone, I jump right into another.

Truthfully, the motivation to write this very article felt more like an uphill climb than usual. But I kept thinking about one word: Grit.

Grit is one of those quiet traits that doesn’t get the attention it deserves in the business world. We celebrate innovation, hustle, leadership, and rightly so…. but grit? Grit is what keeps the wheels turning when the spark of motivation fizzles out. It’s what keeps a small business afloat in a slow season, what keeps a banker solving problem long after the easy path is gone, and what keeps a parent showing up day after day, even when the tank is running low.

My wife is the perfect example of this lately. Holding down the home front while I chase academic deadlines and career milestones, making sure our kids feel steady and safe even when life’s a whirlwind. Her strength, often quiet, always consistent, is the kind of grit that never makes headlines but moves mountains. And it reminded me: business, like life, is built in the margins. It’s built in the moments when nobody’s watching.

In banking, we sometimes think big wins come from big moves, that may be true, but the best banks, the ones that endure, are the ones that consistently do the little things right. They call the customer back before they’re asked. They answer the hard questions honestly. They invest in relationships when it’s inconvenient. They show up with empathy, especially when someone else is going through their own dog days.

So, if you’re feeling like you’re running on fumes lately, you’re not alone. And if your business is in a season where the grind outweighs the glory, don’t be discouraged. Perseverance is a strategy, not just a mindset. Grit builds loyalty. Grit builds culture. Grit, when paired with empathy, builds trust, and trust is the bedrock of any great business or bank.

Here’s my challenge to you this week: lean into what’s already in front of you. Your people. Your process. Your purpose. There’s beauty in pushing through. There’s strength in sticking with it. And there’s wisdom in knowing these dog days won’t last forever.

What would your business life look like if you treated perseverance not as survival, but as strategy?