It is easy to conclude that those who are at the top of their game in any respective field, have genetics on their side. You know… they were just born with this amazing ability or God given talent. When in fact there is really very little truth to that line of thinking at all. Moreover, it leads one to conclude that only the gifted will ever rise to the top and so what is the point anyway. That is simply demoralising and untrue!

While there is an element of truth to the genetic argument, it wouldn’t even equate unless another variable is added to the mix. True Grit is one critical ingredient to excelling in whatever endeavour you chose to take in life and it isn’t something that we’re necessarily born with. It is however something that we can develop given three key elements.

Find Your True North

Perhaps easier said than done, finding what Angela Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania refers to, in her book entitled ‘Grit’, as ones “compass”, doesn’t just come to you through ‘navel-gazing’. You need to get yourself out there and experience life in all its variety and abundance. There will be sparks of inspiration and no doubt awkward failures, but eventually something will transpire and develop into an endeavour you’ll envision as worth pursuing with vigour… something that you foresee as being a rewarding life pursuit.

Set Realistic Attainable Goals

Chasing after something that’s seemingly insurmountable can be soul crushing and lead to procrastination or worse… total paralysis.  A valuable lesson in achieving the unachievable can be learned from an amazing documentary film ’Touching The Void’

Read the book or watch the movie, but whatever you do ‘Just do it’. It’s an incredible story of survival
Basically you need to attack a mountain by setting realistic attainable goals. Like orienteering, instead of wandering off aimlessly toward a mountainous goal, set your compass on a visible target and work your butt off to reach it within a certain time frame.

Having briefly celebrated your attained target, set your sights on the next goal with the encouragement and zeal afforded from your previous accomplishment. Rinse and repeat until before you know, others are viewing your achievements as though you were born with incredible genetics. More importantly, the satisfaction gained and the experience of the journey will perhaps be more valuable than the conquest itself.

Allow Tribulation To Build Tenacity

This is where ‘the rubber meets the road’. One has to cultivate a spirit of optimism when encountered with difficult situations or set backs. Life will always throw curve balls into the mix. They may manifest in various ways such as financial stress, opposition from people – often times those closest to you, time management or even negative self talk.

Go in with your eyes open. Keep them on the target. When you expect to be knocked down from the beginning, it’s easier to get back up and keep going. Those with tenacity are the ones who ‘get back on the horse’. Don’t be afraid of failure or making mistakes. Thomas Edison made over a thousand of them before finally inventing the lightbulb.

Can you imagine the ridicule he would’ve received from his peers or possibly even his friends and family… “give up Thomas, it’s an impossibility. How ridiculous, who ever heard of a lightbulb?”

How easy would it have been for him to give up. Thankfully he had a clear vision and the perseverance to endure set back after set back. That my friends is what true grit is all about and how anyone with a clear goal and self belief can achieve great things.