“I think, that to be gritty means to pursue something with consistency of interest and effort. Some people choose not to pursue anything in a committed way, and that, to me, is lack of grit.”
| Angela Lee Duckworth |
What is it that connects J.K Rowling, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Sara Blakely, Michael Jordan, Steven Spielberg, Jack Ma, Walt Disney and many others like them? We have all heard these names mentioned throughout our lifetime. There have been articles, books and even movies made about them over the years and this is because they have all experienced failure at some point of their endeavors but have successfully risen above to achieve amazing feats. Their stories have been told and retold because they encourage us to be better, to do better and to push the boundaries.
When we take a closer look at why some people are able to pull themselves together even after countless failed attempts while so many others give up at the first sign of failure, the one measurable component that stands out is ‘grit’. This concept was set out by Angela Lee Duckworth, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who defines ‘grit’ as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. What Angela means is that ‘grit’ is having passion and perseverance about something in your life and it doesn’t mean that you necessarily engage in all possible pursuits with equivalent passion and perseverance. Recognizing the time and energy limitations, she points out that focusing on one thing means focusing less on others. It is mostly difficult to pursue becoming a great pianist and at the same time a great mathematician as well as a pro-golfer, etc.
Here’s what Angela says in her book (Grit - The Power of Passion and Perseverance) that will build inner strength and make you gritty:
Pursue what interests you - It’s hard to stick with something over the long haul if you don’t care enough about it. Angela says “The first period is interest development — where you fall in love with something. You find that you’re thinking about it more and more.” So explore your passions, and the only way to go about this is by getting out there and exploring various options until something clicks. Once you have discovered this, it is time to pursue it whether through a structured program like college or simply by finding a mentor.
Keep practicing - We have heard this a million times over and it could not ring truer, practice makes perfect. Working hard at something helps you develop that skill and the better you get at something, the more likely you are to stick to it and see it through.
Discover your purpose - Angela explains that “What ripens passion is the conviction that your work matters. For most people, interest without purpose is nearly impossible to sustain for a lifetime. It is therefore imperative that you identify your work as both personally interesting and, at the same time, integrally connected to the well-being of others.” Your purpose is more than just the job you do for the obvious reasons of remuneration and self-worth but rather knowing that what you do is important to other people as well.
Don’t lose hope - Angela says you need an active type of hope. You must believe things will improve because you’re going to improve them. “One kind of hope is the expectation that tomorrow will be better than today. It’s the kind of hope that has us yearning for sunnier weather, or a smoother path ahead. It comes without the burden of responsibility. The onus is on the universe to make things better. Grit depends on a different kind of hope. It rests on the expectation that our own efforts can improve our future. “I have a feeling tomorrow will be better” is different from “I resolve to make tomorrow better.” The hope that gritty people have has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with getting up again.”
Surround yourself with gritty people - Hanging around gritty people for long enough will most certainly rub off on you. Angela shares that “Over time and under the right circumstances, the norms and values of the group to which we belong become our own. We internalise them. We carry them with us. ‘The way we do things around here and why’ eventually becomes ‘The way I do things and why’.”
These steps should give you a place to start and point you in the right direction towards success. Is there an easier way, unlikely, the road to success is a difficult one but not an impossible one, however it will be rewarding and fulfilling.
Our team at Missing Link Consultancy is ready to support you through this journey of self-understanding and to help you access the information you need in order to make the decisions you need to make. To get in touch with us, drop us an e-mail at info@missinglinkconsultancy.com or check out our services to find out more.
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