Sisu
Sisu is the reserve of stubborn force a person reaches for after their ordinary strength has run out — a word Finnish also still uses for a bad temper.
Full definition of Sisu →:: COMPARE ::
SisuvsGrit
The short answer
Grit is perseverance and passion for long-term goals — a stable trait sustained toward something you want. Sisu is adversity-triggered and framed as a draw on stored reserves at the point of exhaustion — measured as a trait, though whether it holds steady over time is explicitly still an open question. Sisu needs no goal and no passion; it needs a wall. Be honest about the overlap though: beneficial sisu correlates with grit measures. The clean separation is the harmful factor, not the time horizon.
Side by side
| Aspect | Sisu | Grit |
|---|---|---|
| Triggered by | A wall | A goal |
| Duration | Trait; stability untested | Years |
| Has a harmful pole | Yes | No |
| Needs passion | No | Yes |
What each one means
Grit
Everyday grit is coarse sand or small hard particles — and, figuratively, plain toughness of character. In psychology it names a specific construct, perseverance and passion for long-term goals, sold as the hidden predictor of success and shown by meta-analysis to be largely conscientiousness under a new name.
Full definition of Grit →