Grit - from 9 Things Successful People Do Differently

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Getting Gritty - to persist in the face of discouragement and failure, is my #1 lesson from the 9 Things Successful People Do Differently by Heidi Halvorson.

Many a time, I find that had I persisted a little longer, I may have got what I was striving for. This trait is a difficult one to build - how would you know that what you want is just a little further away. It calls for faith in one's abilities and perseverance.

Sometimes there comes along a friend who or an article that rubbishes the value of the pursuit that you have been engaged in. Self-doubt then seeps in and it takes conviction to look beyond a subjective opinion. To find facts that support the value in your pursuit and carry on.

Then there is downright failure or even worse is the fear of failure. What then? Lord Krishna's advice from the Gita - To do your duty to your very best without expecting rewards, should keep you focused on working towards your goal. And if you have failed - then get up and move on, failure is a stepping stone to success, don't give up just yet.

I finished the book as an Audible, it a quick listen - all completed in a day's commute. I would recommend you read this one.

See the author's post here. http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/02/nine_things_successful_people.html

The 9 Things from the Blog:


1. Get specific.

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go.

4. Be a realistic optimist.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good.

6. Have grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle.

8. Don't tempt fate.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do.