"striving" is a correct and usable word in written English. You can use it in the sense of making an effort to achieve a goal, or a more general sense of trying hard. For example: "The students were striving to finish their project on time.".
"The best players don't stop and think how well they have just done, they are always striving: 'How can I improve?' That's why the best stay there for so long, people like Ryan Giggs.
Today, wine growers are striving to produce the best possible grapes and ultimately the best quality wine.
In fact, research shows that the academic pressure to fulfil potential put on children from such a young age can lead to huge self-esteem problems in their teenage years, when striving for perfectionism does not deliver the goods.
They are both investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, and striving to overcome what is their key problem: the instability of Ethiopia and Senegal's immediate neighbours.
The risk is that the government fails to realise this potential, and my experience so far is that instead of striving for more, sadly, we're settling for less.
Are we now a horde of individuals driven by self-interest, striving for life's lottery win, the big break.
After two days of talks, the governments are striving for a once unthinkable deal in which the DUP sits down in government with Sinn Fein.
Being a terminologist, I care about word choice. Ludwig simply helps me pick the best words for any translation. Five stars!
Maria Pia Montoro
Terminologist and Q/A Analyst @ Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union