In Old English, the word Grit means gravel, suggesting an abrasive way of displaying persistence. Since the late 16th century, the word has been used to refer to a strength of human character, denoting pluckiness and tenacity.
More contemporarily, Grit is viewed as a perseverance and a passion for achieving long-term goals. People with grit don’t quit or surrender easily. They are steadfast in their resolve to achieve what they set out to.
Gritty people work strenuously toward challenges and maintain a constant effort despite setbacks and moments of failure. Those with grit set goals and do everything they can to reach them. They are less likely to offer explanations or excuses for defeat. They wrap their self-identities into the idea that they are gritty people, persistent and relentless in everything they do.
While assessing whether someone has grit is a popular discussion in the workplace, especially when selecting candidates for a role, how to teach Grit has proven more elusive. Angela Duckworth, who helped to bring the idea of Grit to the forefront with her research and writing, believes leaders (and parents) can teach Grit by implementing the “Hard Thing Rule.”
The Hard Thing Rule is the daily practice of something outside your comfort zone. It is a practice that includes a bounty of feedback and requires a deep commitment to finish or achieve the end goal. Engaging against that daily challenge requires an individual to alter their normal tendencies, teaching them to develop more Grit.
For instance, a daily practice that is truly challenging requires the individual to manage their emotions, like frustration, disappointment, and impatience, when they don’t instantly succeed or achieve small tasks. Such challenging practices also require the person to make sacrifices for the sake of achieving long-term goals and mastery. They give up time, energy, and resources for the kind of practice that is uncomfortable and takes away from more pleasurable pursuits. This teaches Grit.
To help others to become Grittier, leaders help them find that daily practice and commit to it. Helping them set realistic but difficult goals and then showing them how to keep track of significant milestones along the way is an essential part of the process. From lifting weights for strength building, to learning how to draw or paint, to absorbing and speaking a new language, the possible “hard things” to consider are nearly infinite.
Leaders insist that those who commit don’t give up or surrender easily. They promote the idea that the stubborn refusal to quit is a cardinal virtue. They watch and then encourage others to “embrace the suck” and to keep moving forward.
The end result is a tad more Grit. Enduring the uncomfortable for a larger purpose is something people can learn if done in everyday practice. What Hard Things are those around you engaged with? Perhaps you might make a suggestion. Good leaders teach others how to be more Gritty.
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