I am currently reading Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by author and professor Angela Duckworth. Writer Lisa Quast wrote in Forbes, “Duckworth has spent years studying people, trying to understand what it is that makes high achievers so successful. And what she found surprised even her. It wasn’t SAT scores. It wasn’t IQ scores. It wasn’t even a degree from a top-ranking business school that turned out to be the best predictor of success. ‘It was this combination of passion and perseverance that made high achievers special,’ Duckworth said. ‘In a word, they had grit.'”
Grit. That stick-to-it-ive-ness that bridges talent and success. Duckworth looked at West Point grads, National Spelling Bee winners and others. She found that those who scored high on grit tests made it to the top of the mountain. Both in their current quest and in life.
It’s getting up when you fall. Not giving up on a long-term goal. Working hard. Delaying gratification. Knowing that walking through the fire is the only way to travel.
Writer Katherine MacKenett said, “Now, every time I witness a strong person, I want to know: What darkness did you conquer in your story? Mountains do not rise without earthquakes.”
Mountains do not rise without earthquakes.
Life will fall apart. Things will be turned upside down. But it is the journey. It is the vessel for growth.
Perseverance is everything. Grit is the answer.
May we all have the fortitude to realize that sometimes taking one more step is the most monumental thing we will ever do. It can be the game-changer. It’s time to change the game for good.