The Value of Grit

In my family we joke about our stubbornness as we recognize this quality called grit (stick-to-it, perseverance, stubbornness, willpower—whatever you want to call it) helps people succeed.  I recognize that when I began my writing career in 2002, I was determined to prove I could succeed as a writer.  I said, ‘I’m not the smartest person but I know how to work hard and I will keep on until I succeed.’  Eleven years later I have written 12 articles published in peer-reviewed nursing magazines and two books published by McFarland & Co., Inc).  My hard work and grit (stubbornness) has paid off.  

The University of Texas Health Science center recently wrote about grit as the “Secret of our Success.”    Let’s see what the experts at the UT Health Science center say about grit and success.  Grit “is strength in the midst of change and stressful life events…Grit is our willingness to work for it (whatever we want to learn or achieve).”  A person shows grit when he works toward his goal and overcomes problems and challenges to achieve his goal.  This person shows up and keeps working toward his goal, even when things don’t go right.  The good news about grit:  “We all have it and we can develop it day by day, ritual by ritual.  It is about action.”

 http://www.uthealthleader.org/index/article.htm?id=3f86f187-b9d3-42f0-adce-d651499f5f9a
 

Four components about grit which will help us succeed:  social, physical, psychological and spiritual.  We will look at these four components the next few times.