Mitlin Money Mindset

The Myth About Grit That’s Holding You Back w/ Lara “LJ” Johnson

March 18, 2026 | Episode #281

Meet the Guest

Lara “LJ” Johnson

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.

Show Notes

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.

Resources

Sending your child to college will always be emotional but are you financially ready?

Take the College Readiness Quiz for Parents!

Doing your taxes might not be enJOYable but being more organized can make the process less painful.

Get Your Gathering Your Tax Documents Checklist!

Will you be able to enJOY the Retirement you envision?

Take the Retirement Ready Quiz!

About the Podcast

Welcome to Mitlin Money Mindset®️! With your host, Larry Sprung, CFP®️, Founder and Wealth Advisor at Mitlin Financial Inc®️. With over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the financial services industry, Larry thrives to help you achieve your goals while finding JOY in the journey.

Each week, he’ll go deep with engaging guests who provide tangible takeaways and a whole lot of JOY along the way. Here, we don’t just talk about money; we celebrate it as a catalyst for JOY and possibility. Whether you’re saving for the future, planning your next big adventure, or just looking to add some spark to your daily money management, you’re in the right place.

We hope you enJOY these conversations as much as Larry enJOYed having them. And remember to ask yourself, what did you do today that brought you joy?®️

The Myth About Grit That’s Holding You Back w/ Lara “LJ” Johnson

Meet the Host

Larry Sprung

CFP®, CEPA®
Founder & Wealth Advisor