Aly Wagner, attacking center midfielder for the U.S. women's soccer team, helped the team win gold in Beijing. On the field, Wagner, 27, looks like she was born to be there--all muscles and speed, fronted by a huge smile and a swishy blond ponytail. But her career highs have been offset by lows, including being cut from both the 1999 World Cup and the 2000 Olympic teams and suffering multiple injuries.

"I know I've had more injuries than most," says Wagner, who's been playing soccer since kindergarten. "I also know I'm not the fastest on the field. But my love of soccer has allowed me to stay in the game for as long as I have." As is true for so many Olympic athletes, Wagner's lifelong march to Beijing boils down to her ability to persevere and stay passionate in pursuit of a long-term goal, an amazing quality that psychologists refer to simply as grit.

According to Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., who has conducted several key studies on the coveted characteristic, traits like determination and resilience--the building blocks of grit--are even more crucial than talent when it comes to achieving a goal, whether it's opening a yoga studio, writing a million-dollar screenplay, or seeing the letters CEO on your business card. When people say that someone "has what it takes," grit is the mysterious "what" they're talking about.

After poring over the latest research and interviewing women who have it in spades, we put together a grit tip sheet for counteracting the procrastination, discouragement, setbacks, and mistakes lurking between you and your goal. Put it to good use and a big, juicy slice of that high-flying pie will soon be sitting on your plate.