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What is Grit? 5 Ways to Develop it Without Burning Out

What is Grit? 5 Ways to Develop it Without Burning Out

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Grit: The Secret to Achieving Any Long-Term Goal

Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance that enables an individual to stay focused and motivated to achieve their long-term goals. It is not based on the number of setbacks they face or the level of difficulty, but rather how they respond to and adapt to each one. Grit is the single most important factor in determining success and it is the key to unlocking an individual's full potential.

Measuring Your Grit

The best way to gauge how gritty you are is to use the Grit Scale created by Angela Duckworth. It consists of ten questions you rate yourself on, from 1-5, in order to determine your level of grit. Here are the questions:

  • Do new ideas and projects distract you away from current ones?
  • Do setbacks discourage you or do you keep going?
  • Do you often set a goal only to change it for another?
  • Are you a hard worker?
  • Do you have difficulty maintaining focus on projects that take more than a few months?
  • Do you finish whatever you begin?
  • Do your interests change from year to year?
  • Do you possess intense determination and dedication?
  • Do you become obsessed with an idea or project only to later lose interest?
  • Have you overcome distressful circumstances to conquer an important challenge?

The Five Characteristics of Grit

Grit is made up of five characteristics; perseverance, resilience, courage, passion, and conscientiousness. Perseverance is the will to keep going despite difficulty. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from failure and adverse situations. Courage is the strength to take on intimidating tasks. Passion is what keeps us motivated and committed to our goals. Conscientiousness is the dedication to staying focused on difficult tasks and seeing them through to completion.

Developing Grit & Building a Growth Mindset

Developing grit requires a growth mindset. Start by identifying activities you enjoy doing and turning them into useful skills. When you practice enough, it eventually becomes a part of your identity. Connecting with a larger purpose increases passion and motivation. Ultimately, be patient with yourself to give yourself time to reach the desired goal. Surrounding yourself with a gritty culture will help you learn from mentors and peers.

Grit Becomes Obsession: Striking the Right Balance

Grit is an important trait to have, but can become a dangerous obsession if taken too far. Instead of fixating on winning or success, find balance and enjoy the process. Being too focused on these goals can lead to burnout and lack of motivation. Take breaks and practice self-care in order to stay sharp and focused on your objectives.

Grit & Flow: Finding the Perfect Balance

Grit helps us get to our edge, but it is flow which extends it and prevents us from overworking. Having an obsession over success can be harmful, so it is necessary to find a balance between mental toughness and the pursuit of greatness. This balance, combined with the five characteristics of grit, will help any individual become elite.

What is Flow?

Flow is a psychological state in which people are able to become completely immersed in their work. It is linked to improved performance, creativity, and happiness. To experience flow, people need to feel that their skills match the challenge before them, have a definite goal for action, and receive real-time feedback on their progress. However, to maintain flow, they must continually identify and take on more demanding challenges. By focusing on small challenges, gradually raising the complexity, and aiming for higher levels of skill, a person can reach a level of harmonious passion that leads to personal growth.

Finding Flow: The Role of a Coach

The ability to fully enter flow requires a certain level of wisdom and maturity that can be hard to acquire on your own. With the aid of a coach, however, it's possible to build the skills necessary to reach this standard and become unstoppable. Grit is an important quality in high achievers, but there's more to it than just setting long-term goals, passion, and perseverance. Mental toughness and resilience - the ability to push through difficulties and setbacks - are essential parts of grit and present in the most successful people. Consequently, leaders should not only assess results, but also the mindset and outlook of their teams and themselves. Professional development should focus on helping people develop a growth mindset and fostering self-reflection, so that they can become successful in the long-term and gain the necessary grit to push through any obstacles.

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