How to Find Your True Grit

Have you ever started something and not quite finish it?  Have you ever struggled to stay focused on a single task or goal?  What keeps a person focused and committed in the face of adversity? 

In the movie True Grit Maddie, a young teenage girl, sets out to avenge her father's death.   The murderer, Tom Chaney, has vanished and "no one could be bothered to care."    We are initially led to believe Maddie is searching for a person to find Chaney and bringing him to justice.  In actuality she is looking for a person who will match her passion and commitment.  Ultimately, she finds Marshall Cogburn.  But, he is not going for her, he's joining her!   Why is Maddie so driven?   Justice for her father.  So, beyond just being a great movie, is there anything we can apply to our own lives  for our own lives?  

Two words.  Vision and Purpose.  Maddie constantly imagined bringing Chaney to justice and kept that purpose constantly in front of her.  

In his work "Man's Search for Meaning," Victor Frankl unpacks the idea of perseverance by recounting his experience of surviving Auschwitz.  Frankl suggests that humanity's deepest desire is to find meaning and, if we find it, we can survive anything.  He goes on to propose we find meaning through three basic avenues: work, love, and suffering.  

The purpose of this series has been to explore the intersection of Talents, Awareness and Grit.  As I reflect on these intersections, I'm drawn to the idea that we must identify and attach our lives to a purpose beyond ourselves; that the work we do is making a difference, that our loved ones need us, and the challenges we face offer a greater meaning to our lives.  In all of our diversity and differences, we all search for good work.  We each have a deep need to love and be loved.  We all experience pain.   

When we are cognizant of the opportunities and needs around us we become aware.  When we articulate how we have been gifted to best respond to those opportunities and needs, we are able to engage our talents.  When we connect those opportunities and talents to a larger purpose and meaning, our ability to persevere will increase exponentially.  

Here are a few next steps to make these ideas come to life!

In Your Personal Life: 

1. Identify one area of your work that makes a difference in world.  Write it on a 3x5 Card and put it somewhere you can see it throughout the day.
2. Write a letter, email, or text to someone you love.  Tell them at least one thing you are grateful for.  
3. Identify an area of suffering in your life?  How has it changed you?  How could you grow from this experience?    

In Your Organization: 

1. Identify at least one way your organization is improving the lives of people.
2. Find a clear way to communicate this impact to your team and invite them to celebrate!

Success: Three Questions to Know Your Talents

Often times your success hinges on the ability to correctly perceive opportunities, understand your core talents, and persevere in the face of adversity.    We'll be exploring these intersections in the coming weeks.  Here are our working definitions and previous post.    

Awareness: The ability to perceive your surroundings correctly.

Talents: A skill set you've been given and hone over years of practice. 

Grit: Your resolve and strength of character to persevere in the face of resistance.

As you become aware of opportunities, you must then ask, "Is this opportunity for me?  Is this my work to do?"  One of the key components to answering these questions is clarity on your unique talents.  This allows you to identify your unique areas of contribution.  In addition, when talents go unused they stagnate and wither.  So, in order to live with focus rather than frenzy and keep your talents alive and active, you must clearly articulate what you do well.  

Here are two sets of questions that will help move you toward a greater understanding of your core talents.  

In Your Personal Life: 

1. Thinking back through your life story, what are three responsibilities and successes you have had that stand out?
2. What is something you absolutely love to do?
3. When your friends describe you, what are some of the key words they use?

What trends or patterns begin to emerge?  Are there any overlapping concepts or ideas that could be written as actions or skills?  

In Your Organization: 

1. How is your organization known?  In every field there are core competencies.  Beyond these, what abilities make your team stand out? 
2. Where has your team seen success? How can you focus on these and leverage them to a greater degree? 
3. Who on your team, if given the chance, do you believe could rise to a new level of contribution?  Identify a specific responsibility and offer them the opportunity to grow?