Where does Grit come from? What is it? Do you want it?

One would think that children who were intelligent (I Q) and were socially intelligent (EQ) would do the best in school. Not always. Predictors of success in school and in life turn out to be Stamina, Passion, Persistence, in other words, Grit.

Every college teacher knows that students come into the classroom with a diverse educational background and a reason to succeed at succeeding or succeed at failing. Either way, they work hard. I remember my surprised when I learned that students from church schools taught by uneducated teachers competed well against their peers who were taught at private or public schools with trained educators. The difference between them was the church schooled students didn’t know as much as the others but they would go find the answers. They were willing to do the work. They wanted to learn more than play. I didn’t know what to call this then but now I would say they had “Grit.” They didn’t give up just because they didn’t know the answer.

There is a lesson to learn.

Whatever your gift, if you don’t take the time to ____________ (fill in the blank) write, exercise, etc. chances are you won’t end up with what you desire. You’ve heard that writers should write every day whether you feel like it or not. My meditation teacher, Jon Kabat Zinn, told us we should meditate every day whether we wanted to or not. Show some grit and do the thing you know you should do.

You will have setbacks. That’s the point. Don’t stop or give up. Find a hero who succeeded after rejection letters, failed attempts and still kept going. Pay homage.

Your day will get busy. Your attention collapses into that of a gnat.  That’s why you should write, exercise, do chores, or work early in the day before email, phone calls, and daily routines steal you away from your goals. Plan your creative time as though you were meeting a lover because you are. Fall in love with your desires, your work, or your art. That’s Grit, too.

None of us have to re-invent the wheel to let our light shine. Read about others, adapt their advice and apply it to your life.  You will soon feel more confident. If you put in the work and show up for your life and what motivates you, you’ll get better at whatever you are doing or learning. That is Grit, too.