Grit is passion and perseverance for very long term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years and working very hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint!
Excerpt from the talk on TED by Angela Duckworth.
What do we really want in life? The spiritualist, the philosopher, the psychologist, the school or college teacher, the affectionate father or a wise elder, all will give you their version of what it means to live. The problem is that none of these answers, however wise they seem really resolve the question. For that question itself is life. Think about it; this profound question: what do I really want in life? Is all that is there to life? At times it seems like we do know the answer, but we keep coming back to the question, whatever be our age. It gives us a sense of purpose, a vision of destiny.
Last winter I visited the Art of living foundation’s Banglore ashram for a spiritual retreat. It was a course meant for youngsters from all over the world. I wasn’t attending such a course for a very first time but still I felt quite anxious about it. Sometimes I had to rethink my decision of going all the way to Banglore just to meditate and be in silence. Now when I remember it I really feel glad that I did go there. However progressive we might be but it’s still quite difficult to embrace the new. I had to make quite an effort to let myself believe that I was doing the right thing.