Persistence and Grit
There is a growing amount of evidence that persistence and the personal grit to get the job done can trump your upbringing, your life chances (good or bad), your IQ and your education. More importantly, it is rarely innate. It's a skill that can be learnt. There are many ways that you can develop your own level of persistence. These include:
Be clear about what it is that you want to accomplish. If you set clear and concise goals you are far more likely to achieve them.
Be prepared that things will always go wrong. You will have personal setbacks, the key is to learn to bounce back from them by adopting a growth mindset (the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work) What did you learn? What would you do differently?
Be comfortable with contingency planning. To really master the art of grit and persistence you should try and think what might go wrong and develop plans, contingencies or course corrections that will help you get to your goal. You may have to go off road, the ride may be bumpy, but you will still hit your final destination if you have prepared alternative strategies.
Start. Have the courage to begin the journey. If you procrastinate, avoid or delay you will never learn the skills you need to persist and succeed. It may be uncomfortable and hard, but if you are moving forward you are closer to actually achieving your goals.
Work at the right pace for you. Don't compare yourself to others. They are fighting their own battles, that you cannot see, and their journey is not yours. You will have set the right pace if you feel you are learning, moving forward, or both!
Constantly review where you are and have the courage to revise the plan if you are not getting where you need to be. I don't know the source of this quote, but I think it makes the point succinctly:
However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results"
Maintain your focus on where you need to be. You have committed to this journey, see it through to the end.
Spend time with people who are on your side. If people are negative or frightened of your planned change you should avoid them. Surround yourself with people who will support and guide you, even when you feel you are lost and failing. Remember, each failure is learning point.
Enjoy the ride! You chose this journey. Take time to savour the ups and downs.
When you get to your goal, say thank you to those that supported you and offer help to those who may be starting their own journey. Be kind, be generous, and share what you have learnt.
Would you like us to run a workshop or team event to explore these ideas? Get in touch.
