How to Harness the Power of Grit this Festive Season
Are you ready to stay focused, resilient, and energised to finish the year strong?
“And still, I rise. ”
As the festive season approaches, year-end demands can leave us feeling stretched thin. Like athletes preparing for a big event, now is the time to embrace grit—the perseverance and passion for long-term goals.
Simone Biles’ journey offers a powerful example. From humble beginnings to becoming the greatest gymnast ever, she has faced setbacks, including stepping back during the Tokyo Olympics to prioritise her mental health. Yet, her grit saw her return to win 3 gold and 1 silver in Paris, breaking records and inspiring millions.
Similarly, Diana Nyad’s determination led her to become, at 64, the first person to swim 100 miles from Florida to Cuba without a shark cage—despite failed attempts, jellyfish stings, and hallucinations.
Grit isn’t just for extraordinary feats—it’s the sustained effort we bring to our everyday challenges.
What Is Grit and Why Does It Matter?
Angela Lee Duckworth, in her acclaimed TED Talk, defines grit as the power of passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Research confirms that grit often outweighs talent, intelligence, or circumstance in determining success. For example, James Clear cites studies showing that Ivy League students with more grit achieve higher GPAs, even if their SAT scores are lower than their peers. Competitors in the National Spelling Bee excel not because of IQ but because of their consistent practice and commitment.
Without grit, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals when faced with setbacks or distractions. But cultivating grit allows you to stay anchored, even in uncertain times. It ensures you don’t miss out on valuable opportunities for growth by giving up too soon.
How do I Have More Grit?
Grit in Action: Lessons from the Marathon
Like marathon runners pushing through exhaustion, leaders with grit stay committed despite obstacles. They adapt strategies mid-race, reassess approaches, and persist through challenges to reach their goals.
Resilience and Adaptability: Building Blocks of Grit
Grit isn’t about blind perseverance. It’s about coupling resilience with adaptability. At its core, grit comprises:
Mental Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks.
Mental Strength: Determination and focus to stay the course.
Mental Agility: The flexibility to adjust and find creative solutions.
Together, these traits form help you achieve adaptive stability—the ability to remain steady while navigating change. This balance helps you withstand challenges and sustain high performance over time.
© Suzie Thoraval 2024. All rights reserved.
Grit and Self-Care: Partners, Not Opposites
To maintain grit, you also need self-care. True grit isn’t about reckless endurance; it’s about sustainable effort. Just as athletes require rest to recover, leaders need periods of restoration to recharge their mental and emotional energy.
Set Boundaries: Know when to push and when to pause.
Mindful Progress: Stay attuned to your physical and mental state to recognise when you need rest.
Reframe Rest: View rest as a strategic tool, not a sign of weakness.
By balancing grit with self-care, you’ll maintain the stamina needed to pursue your long-term goals.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Grit
Whether you’re wrapping up work projects or tackling holiday to-do lists, these strategies can help you stay on track:
Define Your Goals: Keep your long-term aspirations front of mind.
Celebrate Small Wins: Recognise progress to stay motivated.
Develop Daily Habits: Build consistency through manageable routines.
Learn from Role Models: Take inspiration from people who demonstrate grit, like Emily Harrington, the climber, Courtney Dauwalter, the ultra runner, Taylor Swift, who was passed over by RCA for a record contract at 15, or Serena Williams, in my view, the most fearless player of the women’s tennis game.
Looking Ahead with Confidence
As you reflect on this past year, take pride in how far you’ve come. Like Olympians reviewing their performances, acknowledging your wins—big or small—can inspire confidence for the future. What’s one challenge you’ve overcome this year? Celebrate it, and use it as fuel to keep moving forward.
Grit Is the Key to Your Leadership Journey
Grit isn’t just about enduring tough times; it’s about thriving through them with resilience, adaptability, and focus. By integrating grit and self-care, you’ll create a foundation of adaptive stability that empowers you to navigate change and uncertainty with confidence.
As Muhammad Ali famously said, “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.”
So, as this year comes to a close, remember: you have everything you need to finish strong. With grit, self-care, and a clear vision for your goals, you’re poised to achieve great things in the months and years ahead.
Ask yourself:
What long-term goal matters most, and how can grit help you stay on track?
When did you last push through a challenge, and what did you learn about your own resilience and perseverance?
How can you balance grit and self-care to keep energy and focus to reach your goals
How will you finish the year strong?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
