Hack 12 | Grit Is an Elixir

Hack 12 | Grit Is an Elixir

What came first| The grit or the successful entrepreneur?

A small school soccer team celebrated its “perfect” first season: all losses.?

Even though the score didn’t reflect it, the team had improved, but that wasn’t enough. The players didn’t quit. Instead, they worked together during the off season to improve their skills. During the long, hot summer months, they committed to practice – together and on their own.

The perfect season they celebrated the next year was truly perfect.

They are a picture of true grit, knuckling down, giving their all (and then some), and digging deep to become better than they were before against all odds.

In entrepreneurship, the path to success is filled with challenges and setbacks. It takes more than a brilliant idea or a stroke of luck to thrive in a dynamic, ever-changing business environment.?

It takes grit. Resilience.?

It is the one essential quality that sets successful entrepreneurs apart.?

Grit, an internal quality encompassing passion, perseverance, and the ability to withstand adversity (setbacks, seemingly insurmountable obstacles), is the driving force that propels normal individuals to do extraordinary things to achieve their long-term goals.

Many believe that?newer generations entering the workforce ?rely too heavily on instant information, opportunities, and gratification, which can make them miss out on creating great things for themselves they might have done if they were more patient and had more grit.?

I believe it isn't just newer generations. Ample evidence suggests more and more people across all generations are unwilling to delay gratification. They want instantaneous results. This “du jour” mindset is why many people who encounter early setbacks just give up.

Grit comes from within

But grit is not a tangible asset that can be acquired overnight. It is an internal quality within the entrepreneurial spirit. It is a mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities for growth, learning and transformation.?

Can you develop grit??

Certainly. Do hard things. Set goals out of reach or outside your comfort zone. Reach them. When bad things happen, think beyond this minute, this hour or day or week, and react from a lifelong perspective. Think and react like a more mature you.

(And maybe try those one at a time. You can find some tools and suggestions?here. )

Successful entrepreneurs can remain resilient despite failure, setbacks, and rejection. They view obstacles as stepping stones, fueling their determination to overcome difficulties and adjust and adapt to changing circumstances, and better yet connect disparate dots to advance their learning and insights.

Grit requires a deep-rooted belief in oneself and an unwavering commitment to long-term goals. It reminds me the opening line of a book I read in high school entitled,?The Road Less Traveled?by M. Scott Peck. He said, “Life is difficult.?Discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve life’s problems.” When speaking of delayed gratification, Peck opined, ““Delaying gratification is a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way as to enhance the pleasure of life in such a way as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with. It is the only decent way to live.”?

Entrepreneurs with grit possess a strong sense of self-efficacy, recognizing their capabilities and using failures as learning experiences.?

"... Grit grows as we figure out our life philosophy, learn to dust ourselves off after rejection and disappointment, and learn to tell the difference between low-level goals that should be abandoned quickly and higher-level goals that demand more tenacity,” said pioneering psychologist?Angela Duckworth .

I think she?describes this quality perfectly.

Grit is why many serial entrepreneurs do it again, again, and again. Grit is why entrepreneurs who experience significant setbacks try again, again, and again.

Passion and perseverance “power” long-term goals?

Passion and perseverance are two crucial components of grit.?

Successful entrepreneurs understand success rarely comes overnight; it results from consistent hard work and dedication. They embrace the idea of delayed gratification and are willing to endure short-term sacrifices to pursue their vision. Whether working long hours, making tough decisions, or navigating uncertain waters, gritty entrepreneurs stay the course and refuse to give up.?

Maybe you know the story about?Bill Gates starting Microsoft . This successful entrepreneur started to nurture his passion for computers when he was 13 and continued growing his skillset. In 1975, he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen – and the immediate result wasn’t success.

It led to financial crises.?

But they persevered. With passion, they pursued their goals, and in 1980 Microsoft signed a contract to work with IBM. Within a year, Microsoft grew to become Microsoft Corporation officially.?

Setbacks “cement” success

Have you ever prayed to be more patient? God doesn’t suddenly grant you the gift of patience. No. He sends you the “gift” of trials?requiring?your patience. And you develop that character through experience. Sometimes I feel as if I am treading water working on this “gift”!

Likewise, grit cannot be acquired instantaneously; it is honed over time through experience and survival. By facing challenges, you build resilience and adaptability. Each setback or obstacle presents an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve.

Through the accumulation of experience, you can develop a mental toolkit that equips you to face future challenges. That’s how you can learn to think creatively, pivot quickly, and make sound decisions amidst enormous uncertainty.?

Gritty entrepreneurs understand failure is not a permanent condition but a temporary setback on the path to success.?

Grit – more than anything else I’ve seen in my tenure -- is what separates successful entrepreneurs from business builders going through the motions.

Do you have what it takes??

Grit is the unwavering determination, passion, and resilience that fuels successful entrepreneurs on their journey to achievement. It is an internal quality that enables individuals to embrace challenges, persevere in adversity, and navigate the ever-changing and dynamic entrepreneurship landscape.?

Cultivating and harnessing the power of grit can be a defining factor in entrepreneurial success.

Even if you must go through a “perfect” season of failure to get there.

Be gritty.