Episode 28: 3 Tips to Help with Perseverance

Grit: Angela Duckworth
Grit is the quality of perseverance and effort, which is twice as important as natural talent when it comes to achieving success. Psychologist Angela Duckworth discovered that effort is the key factor in success, and talent only counts once while effort counts twice. By applying effort to talent, one can develop a skill, and by applying effort to that skill, one can achieve success. Without effort, talent and skill are meaningless. Even without natural talent or gifting, effort and perseverance can lead to success in any field. So, it's important to consider how much effort you're putting in to meet your goals and dreams.

Being Thankful for the Climb
Being grateful for “the climb” and embracing the challenges life brings our way can help shift our mindset towards difficulties. Just as an intense hiking experience with a treacherous climb, eventually getting to the top brings a huge amount of joy of accomplishment. The celebration would have been far less if you were climbing and had magically arrived at the top of the mountain without the struggle. There is so much more joy in accomplishing difficult things. Let’s embrace challenges and shift our mindset to accept that things will be challenging, but we can have the grit and perseverance to push through.

3 Tips to Help with Perseverance

Community
Drawing inspiration from the physical competition show, Physical 100 on Netflix, there is power of community in fostering perseverance. Surrounding yourself with gritty people, can help inspire and also allow you to motivate one another. Reach out to like-minded individuals for accountability and support, even if it feels uncomfortable or scary at first. Ultimately, finding community and support can help you achieve your goals and overcome obstacles.

Practice
Perseverance is key to achieving success, but it's not always easy to maintain it. One way to help with this is by practicing, practicing, practicing. As Angela Duckworth noted, skill and effort lead to achievement, and practice is essential for building skill. People who engage in practice don't do it because it's fun, but rather because it makes them experts in their fields. It's important to find a way to measure your results and set achievable goals.Celebrating small wins, even if they're not exactly what you aimed for, can also help keep you motivated. So, if you're struggling to maintain perseverance, remember the mantra: practice, practice, practice.

Knowing Your Why and Having a Higher Purpose
In her book Grit, Angela Duckworth explains that gritty people don't just have a job, they have a calling. This means that knowing your why and purpose can bring you back into focus and align you with what you're working towards, ultimately leading to more perseverance and grit. Angela shares a story about three bricklayers who were asked what they were doing, and their responses varied from "laying bricks" to "building a church" to "building the house of God." Although they were all doing the same thing, the one who had a calling was likely to persevere longer than the other two. Having a sense of purpose can help you stay motivated and overcome challenges. As creatives and artists, knowing why you're showing up every day and connecting to a higher purpose can help you find more meaning in your work and increase your grit.When you have a calling, it allows you to be more gritty.

Quitting and Shame
Let’s normalize quitting when it is not doing any good for one's mental and physical health. Pushing oneself too hard to persevere can be harmful, and it's crucial to take a step back, reflect, recalibrate, and rest to find a healthy way to persevere. Even if we persevere and reach the top of our mountain with a sprained ankle, we will not be able to enjoy the view if we've done it in an unhealthy way. If you feel shame for quitting or not persevering, be curious about what you are feeling and see if you can find it in your heart to forgive yourself. By forgiving yourself, you can experience true freedom and move forward without any lingering shame or guilt.

Creating a successful business through your creativity is no easy feat, but don't give up just yet! It's a discipline that requires effort and perseverance, but with the right tools and support, it's possible to make your mark. Embrace the struggle, surround yourself with gritty individuals, measure your progress, and always remember your why. However, don't sacrifice your mental health or that of your family for the sake of perseverance. It's crucial to take a step back and recalibrate if necessary. If you're feeling shame from past experiences of quitting, reflect on the event and forgive yourself. You're not alone, and with a little bit of courage, you can reach out for support and keep pushing towards your goals. Remember, your voice and art are worth having in the world.

Source:
Grit: The Power of Perseverance: Angela Duckworth

Key Takeaways:

• When it comes to achieving something, effort is twice as important as any natural gift or talent.

• Be thankful for the struggle of the climb. We are so much more filled with joy when accomplishing something that was difficult.

• The 3 Things that can help with perseverance are:

  -surrounding yourself with gritty people in community
  -practice with a way to measure your results
  -Knowing your why and connecting to a higher purpose

• Grit and perseverance at the sake of your mental health and health of your family is not wise. Pause if you feel this is happening and figure out a way to proceed in a more healthy manner.

• If you have shame when quitting and not persevering, take a moment to reflect and also move forward with forgiving yourself.