I am not sure how many of you have seen this TED talk on grit. I came across this quite a while ago, and at the time was inspired by what Ms. Duckworth says in her talk. I have circled back to it again recently while learning to play golf. I find myself failing, starting over again and learning lessons that (hopefully) make me better.
I am known to be impatient. I don’t do stillness well. I never stroll. Playing golf, at face value, appears counter to anything I might enjoy. I think this is a perfect match for me because it requires grit and if there is anything I aim to be in life, it is gritty. Now, as woman, being called gritty might not be considered the highest form of compliment. For me, I can think of no better compliment. If you watch the video you will hear Ms. Duckworth describes grit a passion and perseverance for very long-term goals, having stamina, sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. She states “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
As a runner I know what it takes to reach marathon distance, when I started golf lessons I started with the full understanding that this, like a long run, will be an effort that takes time. I have to go back today and this weekend and I have to practice, even though my arms are sore from all the practice and it’s hot and there are 100 other things I need to do. It will take grit.
Having grit when learning to play golf, or running a marathon or launching and running a new business is critical. All these things require the long view, they require creating a vision for and make decisions based on where you want to be years out. It is not just about having passion but living by that passion, and it is working everyday for that future. It’s about understanding that being gritty is a really good thing.
Post Script – I spent the weekend working on my grip, I may have finally gotten it gown, lots of gritting involved, mostly of my teeth.
