Grit
A little parent-brag here. At an end of year conference with his teachers, my son was called "hard working" and "persistent" repeatedly. He was doing well, and developing skills at the right rate. But they could have told me he was very behind or failing in some academic sense and I would have been happy. If I can raise my child to have work ethic and determination enough to keep trying, even when it's hard, then I have succeeded in my job. I can teach him no higher skill than grit.
"Computers just come easy to you."
"You’re lucky to know cars."
"Music is easier for you."
I dislike these types of statements. They are unintentionally dismissive of the pain and sorrow and heartache that went into developing skills and ability. There are stacks of hours, thousands or tens of thousands or more, that went into making me "know cars".
When I meet people that have immense talent or skill, I revere their pain. Becoming an accomplished person takes grit. You need to look yourself in the eye, right at the moment of failure, and you have to accept that you are less. You did not live up to your expectations. It hurts. Your ego aches. The disappointment resonates. Mastering something means pushing past the discouragement and trying again.
If you can learn one thing, learn grit. If you can teach your children one thing, teach grit. If you know how to be persistent with yourself, you will have the world.
When it hurts, keep going. When you feel a failure, keep going. When your inner pitch says quit, keep going. There is no failure. There is only quitting before you where done.
"Computers just come easy to you."
"You’re lucky to know cars."
"Music is easier for you."
I dislike these types of statements. They are unintentionally dismissive of the pain and sorrow and heartache that went into developing skills and ability. There are stacks of hours, thousands or tens of thousands or more, that went into making me "know cars".
When I meet people that have immense talent or skill, I revere their pain. Becoming an accomplished person takes grit. You need to look yourself in the eye, right at the moment of failure, and you have to accept that you are less. You did not live up to your expectations. It hurts. Your ego aches. The disappointment resonates. Mastering something means pushing past the discouragement and trying again.
If you can learn one thing, learn grit. If you can teach your children one thing, teach grit. If you know how to be persistent with yourself, you will have the world.
When it hurts, keep going. When you feel a failure, keep going. When your inner pitch says quit, keep going. There is no failure. There is only quitting before you where done.