You’ve seen them. The people who just won’t quit. They aren't necessarily the smartest in the room, and they definitely aren't always the ones with the fancy degrees or the venture capital backing. But they have something else. In Spanish, we call it being con ganas de triunfar. It’s a specific kind of hunger. It’s that raw, teeth-gritting desire to actually win, to succeed, and to move the needle regardless of how many times the world tells them "no."
Honestly, talent is cheap. In 2026, with AI doing the heavy lifting for technical tasks, your ability to "do" things matters less than your drive to "be" something.
Most people think success is a linear path of logic and strategy. It isn't. It’s messy. It’s late nights wondering if you’re delusional and early mornings proving that you aren't. Having con ganas de triunfar isn't about a motivational poster; it’s about a psychological state where the cost of staying the same is higher than the cost of change.
The Science of the "Will to Win"
Psychologists often talk about "grit," a term popularized by Angela Duckworth. But grit is only half the story. While grit is about perseverance, being con ganas de triunfar includes an element of ambition that is almost visceral. It’s the difference between someone who can endure a marathon and someone who is sprinting because they need to see what’s at the finish line.
Dopamine plays a massive role here.
We usually think of dopamine as the reward chemical. That’s wrong. It’s the motivation chemical. Research from Vanderbilt University found that "go-getters" (those with high levels of what we’re calling the desire to triumph) had higher dopamine levels in the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex—areas of the brain involved in reward and motivation. Interestingly, "slackers" had higher dopamine in the insula, which is linked to perception of risk and emotion.
Basically, winners are biologically wired to focus on the prize, while others are wired to focus on the pain of the effort.
Real World Grit: It’s Not Just a Cliché
Take a look at someone like José Hernández. If you want to see a person con ganas de triunfar, his story is the blueprint. He was a migrant farmworker. He didn't even speak English until he was 12. He got rejected by NASA eleven times.
Eleven.
Most people quit after two. Some might push to three. But to apply twelve times? That requires a level of internal fire that ignores social embarrassment. He eventually flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery. That’s not just "hard work." That’s an obsessive refusal to accept a reality that doesn't include your victory.
Then there’s the business side. Think about the early days of Airbnb. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were literally selling "Obama O’s" cereal boxes just to keep the lights on because no one would invest in their "bad idea" of letting strangers sleep on air mattresses. They had the hunger. They were con ganas de triunfar when the bank account said zero.
Why Skill Alone Is Failing in the Modern Economy
We are currently living through a massive shift. Hard skills are depreciating faster than a new car driven off the lot. If you learned to code in 2020, half of your knowledge might be automated or obsolete by now. What’s left?
Adaptability.
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And you can’t adapt if you don't have the stomach for it. People who are con ganas de triunfar treat obstacles like software updates. They’re annoying, but they’re necessary to keep running.
If you’re just "capable," you’re replaceable. If you’re driven, you’re an engine. Companies in 2026 aren't looking for the person who knows the answer; they’re looking for the person who will stay up until 3:00 AM to find the answer when the AI hallucinations start getting weird.
The Dark Side of the Drive
It’s not all sunshine and trophies, though. Let’s be real. Having an intense desire to triumph can lead to massive burnout. You see it in high-performance sports and the tech world constantly. The "hustle culture" of the 2010s tried to romanticize this, but the reality is often lonely.
- You miss birthdays.
- Your stress levels might redline.
- You struggle to "turn it off."
The trick isn't just having the hunger; it’s directing it. Pure, unguided ambition is like an engine without a steering wheel. You’ll go fast, but you’ll probably hit a wall.
How to Cultivate Your Own Ganas de Triunfar
Can you actually learn this? Or are you born with it? It’s a bit of both. While some people seem to come out of the womb ready to take over the world, most of us have to build that muscle.
First, you have to find your "Why." This sounds like some self-help nonsense, but it’s actually practical. If your goal is just "money," you’ll quit when the work gets harder than the money is worth. But if your goal is to prove someone wrong, or to provide for your kids, or to change a specific industry—that’s fuel.
Secondly, you need to manage your environment. If you're surrounded by people who are comfortable with "just okay," your con ganas de triunfar will eventually flicker out. It’s social contagion.
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Practical Steps to Level Up
- Audit your inputs. Stop consuming content that makes you feel passive. Watch things that make you want to go do something.
- Set "Micro-Wins." Your brain needs to see proof that effort equals reward. Win a small battle every single morning. Make the bed. Hit the gym. Whatever.
- Reframe Failure. Stop calling it a mistake. It’s data. If you’re con ganas de triunfar, every "no" is just a pointer showing you which way the "yes" is actually located.
The Cultural Weight of the Phrase
There is a reason why this specific phrase, con ganas de triunfar, resonates so deeply in Latino culture and beyond. It’s about the underdog. It’s the immigrant story. It’s the person starting a business in their garage. It carries a weight of "I will make something out of nothing."
In a world that feels increasingly automated and cynical, that raw human spirit is the only thing that actually creates new value. Everything else is just optimization.
Success doesn't belong to the most qualified. It belongs to the person who is still standing when everyone else went home because it was "too hard" or "not worth it."
Actionable Insights for the Driven
If you feel that fire—that desire to triumph—don't let people tell you it’s "too much" or that you need to "relax." Channel it.
- Define your "End State" specifically: "Triunfar" is a verb, not a noun. What does winning actually look like for you this year? Write it down.
- Identify your friction points: What is currently stopping you from moving faster? If it's a lack of skill, learn it. If it's fear, move through it.
- Build a "Resilience Ritual": When you hit a major setback, have a pre-planned way to handle it. Don't let a bad day turn into a bad month.
- Invest in your health: You can't be con ganas de triunfar if your body is falling apart. High-performance drive requires high-performance fuel and rest.
The gap between where you are and where you want to be is filled with effort. The "ganas" are what bridge that gap. Start today by choosing the hardest task on your list and finishing it before you check your email. That’s how the triumph begins.