Shalom Lamm on Knowing When to Let Go: Why Grit Isn’t Always the Answer

The startup world glorifies grit.

We’re told that if we just push harder, stay up later, and outwork everyone else, we’ll succeed. Grit is the badge of honor—stick it out, power through, don’t quit.

But what happens when grit stops working?
What if pushing harder isn’t solving the problem—but making it worse?

Entrepreneur Shalom Lamm has lived this question. He’s built businesses, led teams, and faced moments where grit wasn’t just ineffective—it was unsustainable.

“Grit got me through the early days,” Lamm says. “But eventually, I had to realize that grit alone wasn’t enough. Sometimes, what you need isn’t more effort. It’s more clarity.”

In this article, we’ll explore the myth of grit, why it’s not always the answer, and what comes next—drawing from Shalom Lamm’s hard-won experience as a founder and leader.

The Grit Narrative: Why It’s So Attractive

The idea is simple: those who don’t give up, win.
That belief fuels motivational speeches, investor pitches, and Instagram posts. It’s the mantra that keeps entrepreneurs going when things get tough.

And to be fair—grit is important. There’s no success without perseverance.
But the danger lies in thinking grit is always the right tool.

“I believed for too long that quitting was a weakness,” Lamm admits. “That if I just kept grinding, I could force things to work. It took me a while to realize that grit can become a trap.”

When Grit Becomes a Liability

Grit, without direction, turns into stubbornness.
Grit, without rest, becomes burnout.
Grit, without reflection, leads to blind persistence.

There’s a point when “just keep going” becomes a mask for deeper issues:

• The market isn’t there
  
• The model is broken
  
• Your health is failing
  
• You’ve outgrown the business
  
• Your identity is tangled up in productivity
  

Shalom Lamm knows this all too well.

“I once spent 18 months forcing a startup to survive,” he says. “We weren’t growing. I was stressed, my team was exhausted, but I couldn’t let go. I thought if I just worked harder, it would fix itself.”

It didn’t.

What saved him wasn’t more hustle. It was the courage to pause, reassess, and pivot.

The Moment You Realize Grit Isn’t Enough

You may recognize the signs:

• You’re constantly exhausted, not from working hard—but from fighting resistance
  
• You start dreading the business you once loved
  
• Every day feels like a battle without progress
  
• You’re sacrificing everything—relationships, sleep, mental health—and the results aren’t changing
  

At this point, grit doesn’t feel like strength.
It feels like survival mode.

“It took humility to admit that what I was doing wasn’t working,” Lamm reflects. “But once I did, everything shifted. I wasn’t failing—I was forcing.”

What Comes After Grit?

So, if grit isn’t always the answer—what comes next?

According to Shalom Lamm, what follows grit is discernment.

1. Discernment Over Determination

Determination keeps you in motion.
Discernment ensures you’re moving in the right direction.

“There’s wisdom that comes from experience,” Lamm says. “You start asking better questions: Is this worth my energy? Is this business still aligned with who I am?”

Discernment is the ability to pause, zoom out, and evaluate:

• Is this working?
  
• Is it sustainable?
  
• Is it still mine to carry?
  

Without that pause, you risk spending years fighting for something that no longer fits.

2. Strategic Rest

Grit says, “Keep going.”
Wisdom says, “Rest and return stronger.”

Too many founders wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. But rest isn’t laziness—it’s maintenance for your mind.

“Some of my best decisions came after rest,” Lamm shares. “When I stepped away, even briefly, I could see the problem more clearly.”

Rest allows you to reset your perspective, rebuild your energy, and reengage with focus—not just force.

3. Purpose-Driven Pivoting

Sometimes, grit keeps us stuck in outdated plans.
But real resilience is about knowing when to pivot without shame.

“I had to pivot a business I’d invested years in,” Lamm says. “Not because I failed—but because the market shifted and my vision needed to evolve.”

Letting go of the original plan isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. If you’re building something that no longer serves your purpose, it’s okay to redirect.

Pivoting is a sign you’re still in the game—just smarter.

4. Courageous Exit

And sometimes, what comes after grit… is an exit.

This is the hardest truth of all: Not every business is meant to last forever.

If your health is suffering, your relationships are eroding, and the numbers don’t add up—leaving may be the bravest move you make.

“The hardest decision I ever made wasn’t to start a business—it was to walk away from one,” says Lamm. “But walking away gave me back my clarity, my confidence, and my energy.”

Exiting with dignity doesn’t mean you give up. It means you chose to evolve.

Redefining What It Means to Be Resilient

True resilience isn’t white-knuckling your way through anything.
It’s knowing when to push—and when to pause.
When to endure—and when to adapt.

“I still value grit,” Lamm says. “But now I pair it with strategy, reflection, and trust in my instincts. That’s the kind of resilience that lasts.”

Final Thoughts from Shalom Lamm

Grit got you started. It got you through the messy middle.
But it’s not the whole story.

Sometimes what you need isn’t to fight harder—but to listen deeper.

To ask:

• Is this still working for me?
  
• What am I afraid to let go of?
  
• What would it look like to build with more clarity—and less chaos?
  

“Don’t let grit trap you,” Lamm advises. “Let it teach you. Let it grow you. And when the time comes, let it go.”

Because the next chapter of your entrepreneurial journey might not be about grinding harder.

It might be about building smarter, living better, and leading from a place of strength—not survival.