G.R.I.T.: The Stuff of Leaders and Champions
Instead of giving in to the fears, pressures, criticisms and other negative elements, you have to keep going even when the going gets—extremely—tough."
Success is rarely, if ever, easily obtained. It rises from the ashes of multiple failures like the proverbial phoenix, having to be fought for, chased and desired above all else.
chased and desired above all else. That is particularly true in this day and age when competition is fiercer, criticism is deeper, and expectations are higher. A thousand and one obstacles will be thrown up along your journey, seeking to stop your career and even your very existence. I know because I have failed at most things in my life and was even diagnosed with cancer. I shouldn’t be a success, but I learned to apply certain foundational characteristics that I have found to be the “stuff” of entrepreneurs, leaders, and champions.
Instead of giving in to the fears, pressures, criticisms and other negative elements, you have to keep going even when the going gets—extremely—tough. The characteristics I applied and developed carried me through the storms and led me to become a successful serialpreneur and cancer survivor. What’s more, those characteristics I relied on along the way are the very same which have been foundational to thousands of other successful men and women through the centuries.
These characteristics, if applied, will make your life’s ambitions much easier to obtain and more successful than dreamed. I have come to know these characteristics as Guts, Resilience, Initiative, and Tenacity—or—G.R.I.T.
Guts Get You Going
An ancient Chinese proverb says that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Before you can reach any destination, you must first start the journey. The problem is that it’s often that first step which can be the most difficult to take. Why? Because most of us need to see proof that our efforts will be successful before we take the necessary risks involved to obtain our goals. We need solid evidence—i.e. charts, stats, contracts, or other guarantees—before we will commit to investing in our goals.
However, if you’re ever going to reach your goals and become a success, you have to have the courage to step out into the unknown. And the future is most certainly an unknown because, no matter how much you prepare and think you’re ready, you never know what twists and turns you’ll face down the road to throw you off your game. If you don’t have the Guts to lift your head and take those steps into uncertainty then you will never even begin your journey, much less become a success.
Resilience Keeps You Fighting
So you’ve mustered up the Guts to step out. That’s great. The question is—will you be able to see the entire journey through to a successful conclusion? The answer for millions is a resounding NO! Having the Guts to step out is one thing, but keeping the momentum going when the flow turns against you is quite another. To keep moving towards your goals when the going gets tough, you also need Resilience.
What is Resilience? It is the ability to adapt to various pressures, stresses, threats, traumas, and other adverse events and conditions of life. These challenges can be physical, mental, or emotional, and it is Resilience that gets you through them.
It is a fact—you are going to fail somewhere along the way and most likely numerous times. It is Resilience that provides the can-do attitude and gets you back up and keeps you fighting the good fight.
Initiative Leads the Way
Many people grow and flourish as long as they have the assistance, encouragement, vision and support of others. In both life and business, you will occasionally get help along the way which is usually quite welcome. Those people hold you up and even set you free to concentrate on the more intimate details of your life or career goals.
However, there will be times throughout your journey that either everyone disappears or they become too controlling and interfere with your dream. If you have grown accustomed to relying on those people to keep you moving forward then, when they’re gone, you are facing a very eal failure moment if you can’t make progress yourself.
The next characteristic you need to achieve success is Initiative which is defined as the ability to assess and initiate tasks independently of others.
Basically, when the chips are down and everyone else is either gone or interfering, you have to take control of the reins, make the hard calls, and get things done—yourself.
Tenacity Holds on for the Prize
Most people aren’t aware of this fact, but the success of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which replaced mainstream “creationism” views, was actually more due the bulldog-like tenacity of another man.
Biologist Thomas Huxley held onto Darwin’s theory and would not let go, even in the face of heavy criticism and resistance. It wasn’t his clever or subtle ways of persuasion that caused his peers to make a 180 degree turn from a religious-based creation belief system to a more scientific one.
No. it was his single-minded, resolute, willful, stubborn and Tenacious desire to see Darwin’s theory to become accepted as mainstream science. His efforts at wearing his opponents down and changing their views led to him becoming known as “Darwin’s Bulldog.”
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome
There’s a saying that is widely used in the Marine Corps which says: “Improvise, adapt and overcome!” That, in a nutshell, is what the G.R.I.T. mindset is all about.
➔ You’ve got to have the Guts to step out of your comfort zone and face the fears of failure.
➔ You’ve got to have the Resilience to weather the storms and get back up when you get knocked down.
➔ You’ve got to have the Initiative to press forward on your own when help isn’t around.
➔ And you’ve got to have the Tenacity to stick with the pursuit of your dream and goals in spite of all the obstacles and resistance you encounter along the way.
Sure, it takes a lot of work to become a blazing success and you’re going to have times that you want to give up. However, you most certainly can achieve your dream if you have the Guts to get out there, the Resilience to keep pressing forward, the Initiative to keep things moving along when no one else is around, and the Tenacity to dig in and not let go until what you desire has been fulfilled. Just keep pushing, keep fighting and keep working.
And remember… NO ONE EVER DROWNED IN SWEAT!
About the Author
Scott Petinga doesn’t let much get in his way.
From overcoming cancer to building over a dozen start-ups and three non-profits, Scott has built a career on his ability to overcome adversity and achieve success. His drive and ambition are apparent in every venture he takes on.
As an executive, Scott has steered multiple start-ups from launch to maturity, resulting in combined revenues of $100M—but his life’s work is to leave his mark on society through building a portfolio of charitable businesses with a blend of entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Coined “socialpreneurship” this approach fuses his business and philanthropic initiatives into one cohesive mission and vision.
But above all, he’s a man of action—driven to accomplish everything he sets his mind to. Never content with the status quo, he dreams big and executes bigger. Whether he’s enhancing revenue or streamlining business operations, Scott brings a keen eye for business strategy and brilliant marketing skills to the table.
Over the years, Scott has garnered a reputation for pushing boundaries in every aspect of his life. His ability to accomplish any mission, quickly and on budget, draws upon his training as a Marine and his commitment to working with the best people to get things done.
In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Scott is an accomplished author and public speaker who frequently shares his life’s wisdom and experience with nationally recognized publications (Forbes, Men’s Health, Thrive Global, New York Times, Fast Company, Esquire, HuffPost and Entrepreneur), as well as in his recently released memoir.
He lives between Minneapolis and Los Angeles and is a proud ‘girl dad’ of three pretty amazing daughters.
