Precise concept analysis has been neglected because of a lack of understanding of its necessity and a lack of conceptual analytic knowledge. Concept analysis is the mental work of examining parts, phenomenon and the interrelated whole of a thing. Focus in this article is to extract the critical attributes of hardiness and make an operational definition. The process of concept analysis is illustrated and documented using the analytic approach described by Walker and Avant(1983). To explore the explicit or implicit meanings of hardiness, existing literature was reviewed. The evolution of hardiness and the dictionary definitions were also added. Hardiness can be defined as follows: A condition of being inured to fatigue or hardship which has three subcomponents-challenge, control and commitment. Critical attributes of hardiness were extracted that may be used in naming the occurrence of the phenomenon. Model case, contrary case, borderline case and related case were described. Antecedents and consequences were explored. The defining critical attributes of hardiness are: 1. Resistance-hardiness involves resistance of stress or hardship. 2. Hardiness involves appraisal of change as a chance. 3. Hardiness implies interpretation of events and self as influential,. 4. Hardiness requires active involving reaction. Implications for nursing and for further study are added.