How to Grow Everyday Grit
Omaha is a great place to live. It really is. Although this weekend, as we were hit with 6’’ of snow I questioned my judgment.
Snow is not the real problem. The problem is shoveling it. As I was shoveling away listening to Imagine Dragons on iTunes music I hit an ice patch. Down I went like a toddler taking his first steps.
I’m sure it all looked hilarious. I decided I could get up and finish my work. Besides my pride, the rest of me seemed intact. It’s in those crazy moments when I think about everyday grit.
It took everything I had to get up, dust off and finish. That’s everyday grit - Nebraska style.
What about you? Do you get up, dust off and finish when times are hard? Or do you complain, procrastinate and give up?
How you answer this question is important because it says a lot about the level of success you’re likely to achieve.
Everyday Grit
Defined I would say everyday grit is the ability to persevere during hard times with passion in order to achieve long-term objectives. It’s our inner ability to keep going despite adversity.
“Where talent counts once, effort counts twice.” - Angela Duckworth, professor of psychology and pioneer in grit research.
5 Ways to Grow Your Everyday Grit
Take it from a guy who's fallen down once or twice. If you can master your thinking long enough to get up and keep going research is proving that success will find you. It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to achieve, grit will help.
You can realize your potential by getting grittier in everyday life. Here’s how:
Focus on Your Strengths
You have a much better chance at success if you're using your strengths every day to do your work. Step one is naming, claiming and aiming your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Once you’ve discovered your unique signature strengths I recommend finding a role model, mentor or coach to help you improve.
Do the Work
Competence takes hard work. When you achieve something great in life you will be thankful. So it makes complete sense to do the work.
Commit to Serving Others
People who commit to serving others connect what they do to a higher purpose and become grittier. What you contribute to the well-being of others can help you feel more useful and in turn, allow you to increase your grit.
Be Positive
If you want to reach your goals, you first need to believe they are possible. Nothing stops your ability to achieve more than focusing on what’s not right or broken. Limiting beliefs that cause you to become negative affects your grit in a bad way. Being positive helps you to look at life from a renewed perspective. A perspective that sees what’s possible and never gives up.
Hang Out and Work with Gritty People.
I heard that you will become like the top five people you keep in your inner circle. The truth is that the people your work and play around have a big-time influence on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Their habits and values rub off and become your new standard. So surround yourself with great gritty people.
Success can be achieved by cultivating everyday grittiness. Achievement takes massive action and the more you can lean into these five steps to gaining everyday grit anything is possible.