There are certain attributes that will take you very far in business. Whether you are a business owner, CEO, or someone working up the ladder, there are secrets to victory that will help you to build long-term success in business. Many of them are widely known, while others are seldomly discussed…
One of the secrets to success that many people don’t know (or properly understand) is grit. But what exactly is grit? And why is it important to succeed in business? How does someone go about building their grit?
I’m glad you asked…What is Grit?
Grit is the ability to succeed in the face of adversity. It’s the ability to get up and keep going. I think Rocky said it best in the movie Rocky Balboa:
“Let me tell you something you already know…the world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”
That speech gives me chills. It is the epitome of grit.
Why Is Grit Important?
To understand why grit is important, you’ll first want to understand what it’s like to try to succeed in business without grit…
Imagine getting up every day counting down the minutes until you get home from work. Imagine feeling beaten down day after day, only to show up for more punishment. Imagine never having agency, never pushing hard, never advocating for yourself. Imagine your life passing you by because you don’t have the courage to take the hit and move forward…
If this sounds familiar, you lack grit. This lack of grit is getting in the way of you accomplishing not only your business goals but also your goals in life. Life is hard. Business is hard. Grit won’t make it easier, but it will change the way you deal with the tough times and challenges that come your way. Once you build your grit, you’ll become unstoppable!
What Does Grit Look Like?
So far, we’ve been discussing grit from an abstract perspective. What does grit actually look like? It looks like this…
Perseverance. Grit is persevering. It is pushing through. It is putting in the work every day, even when you don’t want to. It’s working hard and giving it your all, even when the odds are against you. It’s MOVING FORWARD.
Problem Solving. Grit isn’t just about being a tank and dumbly trying to run all of your problems over. Grit is also about problem solving. It’s about finding what’s in your way and being clever enough to work around it. It’s about finding solutions.
Confidence. If you have true grit, you’ll project confidence. Those that know they can overcome adversity can face fear with a cool and calm demeanor. This helps you to enter business deals and get what you are worth.
Increase Your Grit!
Here are a few things you can do to instantly boost your level of grit!
Let Go of Failures. We all fail. Failure is a great learning opportunity. You aren’t defined by failure. You are defined by how you deal with failure. It’s never too late to right your ship. Let go of your failures and move forward.
Learn From Your Mistakes. With that said, learn from your mistakes! By making mistakes, you can learn what you shouldn’t do in the future.
Take It on the Chin. We all screw up. We all get denied. Even The Beatles were turned down by a label. They went on to become one of the biggest bands of all time. Take it on the chin and know that better days are ahead of you.
Always Move Forward! The past is behind you. While you can learn from the past, don’t get stuck there. Especially don’t rewind! Always move forward. Always move towards your goals.
Learn From Others. There are others that have paved the road you are walking. They had true grit! Learn from them. If you have a mentor, listen. Make adjustments. Have the courage to change and improve.
Everyone has the ability to develop true grit. It all starts with action. Go out and get what you’re worth!
Shared from my friend and business associate, Kurt VandeMotter’s August 2022 Newsletter, Linked Executive Search, Experts at Filling Hard to Fill Positions, kurt.vandemotter@linkedexec.com