Grit, the dictionary defines it as …courage and resolve; strength of character. Synonyms would be hardiness, fortitude, perseverance, toughness, backbone, pluck, and mental strength. What is GRIT exactly and how does one get it and use it in life?
Ask any graduate, special forces candidate, winning athlete, or successful person if their journey was easy? What were the odds they would succeed? Why did they compose that musical sonata, write that play, or create that particular art piece? What did it take for them to be successful in the pursuit of their ambitions?
Navy Seal and New York Time best selling author, Mark Owen, writes in his book “No Hero”, that on one of his training cycles he was given advice by the rock climbing instructor. As Mark struggled with heights in his climb and started to panic the instructor tells him to, “stay in your three foot world.” To paraphrase, the message basically is to focus on the things you can control. It became Mark’s mantra during his Navy Seal experience.
As one might guess, the book “True Grit”, and the two motion pictures based on the novel, is an exploration of grit. The twelve-year-old girl, Mattie Ross, possesses GRIT, just like Rooster Cogburn, the man she hired to avenge her father’s death.
Strength, fortitude, focus, and determination can be found in a wide range of people, ranging from the Navy Seals, Olympic athletes, cancer patients, and the kid with dyslexia who learns to excel in class. Grit can be found in many forms, shapes, ages, and situations.
Here are some Wildcatter tips on how to get, use, and keep GRIT:
- Mindset – Your attitude can be one of your worst enemies or your best friend. Keep your mind full with positivity. Easy to say, but difficult to practice. Try yoga, mindfulness, or mental biofeedback. Harness the power of your mind. Sometimes just a series of deep breaths can clear your mind and refocus you.
- Set Goals – Many successful people will tell you that setting goals helped them attain those goals. One successful person stated the best advice she ever received was this phrase, just one day at a time – just survive today and don’t project into tomorrow. Not all goals are mountains, they can be small hills to conquer that get you to that mountain.
- Establish Habits and Routines – Interviews of winning athletes show that they were dedicated to their cause. Routines establish consistency, which leads to perfected skills. Many admit they rarely or never missed that workout or team practice.
- Seek Your Road – Get off the couch, take the class, change the job, and quit hesitating. Seek action, make a change, control your destiny.
- Physical Health – Take charge of your health. A healthy body, mind, and attitude needs energy.
- Priorities – Strike the right balance with work, family, friends, and your community.
- Seek Challenges – Push your limits! Learn a new skill, language, or take a “fun” class. Get out of your comfort zone! Enter a race, paint a picture, cook something, or just play scrabble.
- Relax Time – Rest, relax, and recharge when necessary. Take that vacation, seek nature, take a walk or a nap. Read a book or just turn off your phone and computer.
- Enhance Empathy – Volunteer; it is good for the soul. Read to a classroom, be a mentor, serve meals at a shelter. Connect to the need of giving back or making a difference, which will help you balance your grit.
- Keep in the Game – Stay up and ahead of trends. Do not be afraid of change, progress, and new opportunities.