🧭Grit Masterclass (Part 2)

Good Day, and welcome to The Growth Compass. We are that morning wake up call, making sure that you are prepared and ready to take on the day with gratitude, mindfulness, resilience, and GRIT.

Here’s where we’re headed today:

• Ayn Rand on determination and grit

• The four principles that make up grit

• The story of Steve Young and his dad Grit

• How to develop grit in children

Ayn Rand on Being Unstoppable

"The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me."

- Ayn Rand

4 Principles That Make Up Grit

There are 4 principles that make up grit: Practice, Purpose, Hope, and Time.

If grit is defined as: Passion and perseverance for very long-term goals and having stamina then these four principles help you build and develop that grit because they collectively contribute to your ability to persevere and achieve long-term goals despite obstacles and setbacks.

What are they and why do the matter?

1. Practice: Grit involves consistent and deliberate practice over an extended period. It's about developing your skills and abilities through continuous effort and improvement. Practice is the foundation of expertise and resilience because it allows you to build the necessary skills to overcome challenges.

2. Purpose: Having a clear sense of purpose is crucial for grit. It provides the motivation and direction needed to stay committed to your goals. When you have a strong sense of why you are pursuing a particular objective, you’re more likely to endure adversity and setbacks along the way.

3. Hope: Hope is the belief that things can get better and that effort can lead to positive outcomes. It's a key element of grit because it allows you to stay optimistic and resilient in the face of difficulties. Hope allows you to maintain determination even when you encounter obstacles or experience setbacks.

4. Time: Grit often requires a long-term perspective. Achieving significant goals can take time, and people with grit understand the importance of patience and persistence. They are willing to invest the necessary time and effort to see their goals through to fruition, even when progress may be slow or incremental.

3 Takeaways:

1. Reflect - When achieving a goal, assess these four principles. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. Think about how you can improve in each principle.

2. Celebrate your wins - Patience and time are important aspects of grit because you are delaying gratification. Balance this by celebrating your small wins. Spend a few minutes each week writing down your wins of the week.

3. Build joy into the process - You should have grit and be willing to do the work, but accept your goals with intention not attachment. Be mindful of that and make sure that you are satisfied with the process.

Steve Young’s Story of Grit

In the annals of sports history, few stories resonate as powerfully as that of Steve Young and his father, LeGrande Young, affectionately known as "Grit." Grit wasn't just a nickname; it was a legacy of unwavering determination and indomitable spirit that he passed down to his children, especially Steve.

From a young age, Steve yearned for that illustrious moniker, knowing the profound strength it embodied. He admired his father's relentless commitment to hard work, and it wasn't long before Grit's influence started to shape his own character.

Grit's parenting philosophy was simple but profound: teach children the value of hard work. He made sure his kids earned their desires through sweat and toil. Grit never missed a day of work and Steve Young never missed a day of school. Grit insisted that they learn the essence of labor. They worked paper routes, rain or shine, instilling in them the knowledge that if they truly wanted something, they had to put in the effort.

Obstacle: When Steve Young was 13 years old, he was playing little league baseball and didn’t get a hit the entire summer. He was thoroughly embarrassed.

Grit talked to Steve and said, “If you want to get better, let’s work at it.” Steve agreed and they went out everyday in the cold and wet baseball diamond that fall to practice. They worked for hours on the repetition of hitting the ball and getting better at it. Soon enough, he was hitting the ball and becoming a much better player. His senior year of high school, he was co-captain on the baseball team.

Obstacle: Steve Young started college at BYU as the 8th string quarterback.

Steve was having a tough time his freshman year and was homesick. He wasn’t playing, he wanted to quit, and come home. His dad knew that he needed to power through and be resilient. His response, “OK, Steve, you can quit. But you can’t come home!” This fueled Steve as he had no other option so he went into the facilities every day to work out and get better. He refused to seek an easy way out, instead, he pursued excellence and discovered his true potential. He ended up becoming one of the best quarterbacks in college football and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In the NFL, Steve Young sat for 4 years behind Joe Montana as his apprentice learning the game as he waited his turn. Steve learned, honed his skills, and eventually became one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and won the Super Bowl in 1994.

The story of Steve Young and his father, Grit, is a testament to the power of grit itself. It's a a mindset and one that you can develop and learn. It’s a story of determination, resilience, and the unwavering belief that, in the face of adversity, one can rise to greatness. Grit taught Steve that life's challenges are not exits but opportunities to discover one's true potential. It's a lesson we can all draw inspiration from as we navigate our own journeys, reminding us that with grit, there are no limits to what we can achieve.

Teaching Kids How To Be Grittier

Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, talking about how to make children grittier and build it into their habits.

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