Fulfilling a Dream Takes Grit

Growth inside fuels growth outside.”

John Maxwell

While pursuing a dream or personal growth, many times the daily grind does indeed begin to feel like a grind. It’s when the initial high, from the visions of a new day, a new life, or a new us that has propelled us into action, begins to fizzle under the weight of the repetitious and mundane days that have yet to consistently produce the dazzling results or noticeable change we’d imagined.

The reality is we need more than just a great idea, more than planning and discipline, more than capability, more than enthusiasm and energy, and more than resilience to failure. We need “something” to get us through the long, hard days with not much to show for it or when the days turn into months and, most likely, years. We need grit!

Grit is the perseverance to see it through to the end. Through the high and low times, through the clarity and confusion, and through the certainty and doubt, we must continue. Grit says all this time and energy is unquestionably worth it. It’s having the faith that regardless the outcome, this is the right direction to head, even though we haven’t a clue exactly where that is and with no guarantees to reach our desired destination. (Check out Angela Duckworth, an amazing researcher with a NYT Bestseller on this subject. She does a great job shining light on our need for grit.)

Our quest, to be more than we currently are, is an unfinished map that we cannot and will not see the big picture until we’ve gained first-hand experience of each necessary stage we encounter and complete in order for us to be able to decipher and comprehend the impact of our growth. Yes, the journey to bring our dreams to reality is one of persistence, commitment and, most of all, belief that life would become unbearable if we quit.

Our quest to be more is an unfinished map

Without a doubt, grit is an essential factor for progress. So, can we enhance grit? I believe so and find it’s helpful to answer some key questions like: “What exactly do I want? How badly do I want it? Why do I want it?” I believe these answers are vital to starting a successful journey, because if the answer to these questions aren’t rooted deeply within us, that to not pursue this dream or personal change is the same as us not being us, we’re less likely to stick with it. We need be compelled to continue to the end to achieve amazing results… and this compulsion is the fuel of grit!

Keep it Simple,

Just Teri

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Photo: Pixabay