I like stick-to-itiveness better than ‘grit,’ don’t you? It means what you think it means. Not like grit which is the bit-of-sand in your teeth that ruins the clam chowder.
Angela Duckworth is the person we have to thank for the current popularity of the word grit. I don’t think the movie True Grit, either the original or the remake, can take any credit.
What I’m trying to say is, I don’t want to give up again. I’m terrified of my future self, waking up on some crappy, rainy morning, turning off the alarm, burrowing deep into the covers and saying – what’s the point?
Duckworth says Grit is a combination of Passion and Perseverance. I get the perseverance, but the idea of the word passion being a part of that equation seems a bit off to me. I equate passion with people. And – I can honestly say, if there is anything I am good at sticking with – it is relationships with people. Yes – I was once married and am now divorced – but I made that relationship work for 17 years, even though it should have died in the first six months. If I have decided you are worth keeping in my life – then I will keep you, come hell or high water. Does that mean my relationships are gritty? Yuck.
No – this project of mine will not succeed based on my passion for the outcome. It will only succeed if I have a clearly defined routine. I can’t depend on emotion. I need a cold, hard checklist of tangible things to do everyday.
The result of the year long slog has to be something worthy of the effort of course – but a belief in the worth of something is not a passion for it.
Mind of a Mouse 