I have been thinking a bit lately about grit and determination. Grit is defined as courage and resolve; strength of character. I have felt a lack of grit. I think that is what comes in to play when I am tired or sitting and just don't want to...that decision point. To have grit is when I get up and do it anyway. That extra bit of resolve to move and complete the thing I am thinking I should do. When everything in my body is telling me I don't want to care, I don't feel like it. I can just do it tomorrow. Grit will kick in and help me to do it anyway. "I will feel the fear and do it anyway".
Determination is defined as firmness of purpose; resoluteness. Unflinching.
So now the question is how to develop and maintain grit. The desire to complete and resolve to do the things I have been working on for a very long time...in word anyway. I am wondering if I ever learned how to muscle through hard things. All my life I took the path I knew I could accomplish. The easy way. In school I accepted Bs and Cs they were good enough. I could get them without putting in extra effort. In creating goals I chose ones that were habits I almost had anyway so could just tweak a little here and there. I could do homework slightly distracted by the TV and still pass so I did. I didn't learn the tenants of wading through the hard stuff. Putting in the long hours, figuring out how to push myself past the point where I thought I couldn't do it any more.
My trainer recently sent me an article she wrote about a hike through the slot canyon at Lake Powell. At a part of it you have to swim through the nastiest sewer smelling water. The thought of it grosses me out. She talks of how some one chose to stay in the boat and she contemplated the safety of staying there. But then put on her lifejacket and jumped in to start anyway. She had the help of her friends and family to get past that decision point.
Principle 1 of Developing Grit: Have a team that will help you. A power team that continually feeds you positive thoughts. Put yourself on that team. If you don't have the positive thoughts. You will not continue...
She continues to talk about the trek, how some people turned back, how some tried to get out and walk along the side of the cliff and then had to jump back into the filthy water. She had promised herself at the beginning that if she started she would finish. That resolve kept her going, one step at a time through every nasty smell and gross section. She kept her promise.
Principle 2 of Developing Grit: Decide that no matter what, no matter how bad, no matter how hard it gets, you are going to do it. You will see it through. Keep the promises you make yourself. By removing the doubt from the equation. Sticking with your decision frees you to avoid the danger zones, the doubt and the fear. You remove the other decision points. Those moments when you need to make a choice. It's already made. You have decided. You stick with your plan. Just as we teach our kids to "don't do drugs" If you make the choice before hand you already have won the battle.
At the end of the really nasty slimy yucky water they walked out into a beautiful canyon that the pictures they had seen could never do justice of. Just as if I stick with my decisions, follow the plan and continue those small steps I will have the life I have been dreaming of...it will be more beautiful than I can imagine. I can get there. Just one step at a time.
Principle 3 of Developing Grit: Have a picture in mind of the end journey. You won't get there if you don't know where you are going. Map it out. Make your choices ahead of time. Don't suffer from decision fatigue. If your choices are already made you will definitely make your goal. Don't question them. Don't waver. Stick with it...visualize the end. Know why you are going there. Why makes every difference!
Principle 4 of Developing Grit: You are the only one that can get you there. It doesn't matter what other people do. Don't play the martyr. You are in charge of your actions. You are in charge of your choices. If you decide it you stick with it. Don't blame anyone but yourself. You are in charge!!
So what do you think? Do you have grit? Do you agree with my principles? I am going to work on my decision points this week...making them in advance so that I don't question myself. :) What will you do?
My trainer recently sent me an article she wrote about a hike through the slot canyon at Lake Powell. At a part of it you have to swim through the nastiest sewer smelling water. The thought of it grosses me out. She talks of how some one chose to stay in the boat and she contemplated the safety of staying there. But then put on her lifejacket and jumped in to start anyway. She had the help of her friends and family to get past that decision point.
Principle 1 of Developing Grit: Have a team that will help you. A power team that continually feeds you positive thoughts. Put yourself on that team. If you don't have the positive thoughts. You will not continue...
She continues to talk about the trek, how some people turned back, how some tried to get out and walk along the side of the cliff and then had to jump back into the filthy water. She had promised herself at the beginning that if she started she would finish. That resolve kept her going, one step at a time through every nasty smell and gross section. She kept her promise.
Principle 2 of Developing Grit: Decide that no matter what, no matter how bad, no matter how hard it gets, you are going to do it. You will see it through. Keep the promises you make yourself. By removing the doubt from the equation. Sticking with your decision frees you to avoid the danger zones, the doubt and the fear. You remove the other decision points. Those moments when you need to make a choice. It's already made. You have decided. You stick with your plan. Just as we teach our kids to "don't do drugs" If you make the choice before hand you already have won the battle.
At the end of the really nasty slimy yucky water they walked out into a beautiful canyon that the pictures they had seen could never do justice of. Just as if I stick with my decisions, follow the plan and continue those small steps I will have the life I have been dreaming of...it will be more beautiful than I can imagine. I can get there. Just one step at a time.
Principle 3 of Developing Grit: Have a picture in mind of the end journey. You won't get there if you don't know where you are going. Map it out. Make your choices ahead of time. Don't suffer from decision fatigue. If your choices are already made you will definitely make your goal. Don't question them. Don't waver. Stick with it...visualize the end. Know why you are going there. Why makes every difference!
Principle 4 of Developing Grit: You are the only one that can get you there. It doesn't matter what other people do. Don't play the martyr. You are in charge of your actions. You are in charge of your choices. If you decide it you stick with it. Don't blame anyone but yourself. You are in charge!!
So what do you think? Do you have grit? Do you agree with my principles? I am going to work on my decision points this week...making them in advance so that I don't question myself. :) What will you do?
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