The Power of Grit
In my experience pushing through a hardship to get a final result has proved challenging, but something that stayed true time and time again was my ability to maintain courage in the face of hardship. Whether it is setting a new fitness goal or trying to get a position at work, the difference between failure and success is grit. Grit is a key that can unlock many doors, a key that will nudge you an extra step in the right direction. You might ask, how can I incorporate grit into my life? It’s simple, start by doing the extra work. As obvious as this may sound, doing extra work adds up and collects like a rubber band ball which starts from a single band, but grows with each additional layer.
As an individual you should already be familiar with the feeling of grit, whether it is something you experience in the workplace or at home, grit is your ability to push forward when wanting to give up. So, how can you become grittier? Grit is made more powerful through individual goal setting. Goal setting is crucial and an often overlooked technique, by setting a goal you are creating grit from within yourself though an unspoken commitment to create real change. When stetting a goal, you need to ask yourself if the intended goal is realistic. Will this goal push yourself? You also need to set a timeframe, a period of time that it will take you to accomplish this task. Most importantly you need to be able to envision yourself accomplishing this goal, and you need to remember how it will feel once you get there. We all know that person who sets an unrealistic goals every new year’s day. Most of them stop within the month of January, but those who purse till its completion show grit. If you believe you can not accomplish what you set out to accomplish, you are second guessing your abilities. You can. And you do have the ability to accomplish this goal. There might be times when we want to give up, but giving up is never an option.
Travis Bradberry, an American author and expert on emotional intelligence said, “Grit is that 'extra something' that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality”[1].
The power of grit is truly remarkable. We all should be encouraged to pursue something greater for ourselves, because we owe it to ourselves to become the best reflection of who we are. Grit is an innate desire that pushes an individual to accomplish more than what they believe themselves to be capable of. Why do we need this ability? Every human being has some sense of grit, but the ones who choose to harvest this inner ability are the ones who succeed. It is far from easy to be an at home mom or a professional who works 40+ hours a week, but during your busy time try to shell out just a little time to working on the extra. An individual who is able to use grit to their advantage is an individual who will change the world, because even something that seems small can become a huge leap in the right direction. The change-makers of today are one’s that are keen to see it change. Change-makers are people who wake up every morning with a chip on their shoulder, knowing what they must accomplish more than they set out to accomplish. They are actively pushing themselves from the hour they wake till the hour they fall asleep.
This week I challenge you to push yourself toward a goal you left behind. A forgotten goal you should have kept pursuing. If a goal does not come to mind, I challenge you to develop one that you want to accomplish by year-end. This goal can be something small or big, but it has to be a goal that aims at bettering yourself. Find your passion and fuel your passion.
We'd love to hear from you! Update us with your goal setting journey. We will feature you on our social media accounts as a example of pure grit. Use the hashtag #fuelyourpassion and tag @pantryfuel!
-Coby, The Intern (Gonzaga, 18')
[1] Travis Bradberry Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 11, 2017, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/travisbrad734881.html