GRIT

DISCovering You

Today I’m going to be discussing Grit and how it manifests in our behaviours, our goals and our achievements.

Before I get to that though, Here’s this month’s DISC correlation. In keeping with the summer theme, I’m doing DISC according to the type of Vacation.

High D – Is in the category of Adventure/Thrill Seeking. This could be a mountain climb, white water rafting, or heli-skiing. High Risk, High Reward!

High I – An all-inclusive tropical vacation with lots of opportunities to socialize and party with like-minded I’s!

High S – A retreat or a spa to relax, reflect and rejuvenate.

High C – A guided tour of historical sites, museums or galleries. Informative, educational, organized.

Okay, back to today’s topic, Grit. How is it defined?

Merriam/Webster dictionary defines it as, “firmness of mind or spirit”.

Angela Duckworth has a lot more to add to that definition. Angela has studied grit in-depth and she’s the author of, “Grit, The Power of Passion and Perseverance”. Angela has a PhD in Psychology, is a MacArthur Fellow and is a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

MacArthur is a prize awarded each year to about 20 or 30 individuals who have shown “extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction”.

The MacArthur is often referred to as the Genius Grant, which is pretty ironic in Angela’s case. The irony is that she opens her book by sharing a story of her Father who often told her, “you know, you’re no genius!” (I think the MacArthur people disagree…LOL)

Angela’s work on Grit focuses not on natural ability, (which is what genius is often attributed to) but on the role that hard work, dedication and tenacity play in success.

To find out what your GRIT score is you can take the test here: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/