True Grit

Life is “a journey” “a challenge” “an adventure” … whatever you want to call it there’s no doubt there’s ups, downs, highs and lows. But how do we develop the perseverance, tenacity and passion to deal with the interesting turns we face in order to achieve our dreams and aspirations. 

For every big dream there’s likely to be a series of setbacks which can take us off course but if we stay focused and learn from each experience we can all achieve our dreams.

Sometimes I find myself in situations where I become so impatient about wanting to achieve what I’ve set my mind on that I can become all consumed with the situation. Rather than realising that it can take time to achieve what I’m striving for. This is in the main due to the fact that often I need the input or support of other people. Which means having to nurture the situation to achieve the dream. 

I’ve always been ambitious and hugely career oriented, not because I want to achieve things for just myself … but because I need a sense of purpose in what I do by supporting others. Partly by being financially secure in order to support those that I love, and partly by being in roles within organisations that have a real meaning – working with teams and individuals to enable them to thrive and be their best selves. 

The thing is … while I don’t believe we should ever stop striving for our dreams, I do think it’s ok to allow ourselves the time and space to get there without rushing. This is the bit I find hardest … I’m naturally impatient so I sometimes find it hard to “enjoy the ride” which in turn can make it difficult for me to bounce back from setbacks. What I’ve learned though is that by having true grit and a focus on my dream I have the faith that everything will turn out exactly the way it’s supposed to. 

We all must learn that each little setback or path change is just a part of the journey and we are learning all the way. It’s this learning that opens our minds to new challenges. A “Growth Mindset” allows us to imagine the possibilities, by contrast a “Fixed Mindset” can hinder our achievements. Reflecting and learning from mistakes can be hard to deal with, and this is why we need to stretch our resilience muscles. Without a strong sense of resilience it’s all too easy to just give up. 

Resilience is the ability to cope with mentality or emotionally difficult circumstances. It’s the “bounce-back-ability” we need for when things don’t go to plan or as we expected. 

But how can we develop this skill? It takes practice and the willingness to nurture ourselves. 

PURPOSE: Personally I’ve found that by having a clear sense of purpose in my life it helps me to bounce back more easily. Some of us are very aware of what our purpose is and for some it takes time to gain the clarity; this in itself is part of life’s learning. 

MINDSET: I practice positive affirmations. After all what we believe in is likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This links back int my sense of purpose by reinforcing what I believe. 

SUPPORT: Creating a network of support is vital … this is an area I strive to develop and improve. I recognise in myself that I often feel I should be able to deal with things by myself but I’ve learned that it shows greater strength to ask for help than pretend you’re ok alone.

Be optimistic about change … embrace the new and see it as learning.

So whether you want to call it True Grit, Resilience or simply Passion…  just have the courage to believe in yourself and your dreams will follow. 

“Every setback means you’re a step closer to seeing the dream come to pass” Joel Osteen

Go ahead DREAM BIG : BELIEVE BIGGER