Key Messages
Unlock Your Potential: A Guide To Developing Grit And Achieving Big Dreams
Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you followed through on your dreams and achieved success? Maybe you think that it’s just too hard because you don’t have enough talent.
But, in reality, talent alone isn’t enough to get you to where you want to be.
What you need is grit – the ability to keep pushing even when things seem tough and have a “get up and give it another go” spirit.
Grit is what made Michael Jordan such a remarkable basketball player, and it’s how the iPhone became possible.
It’s why we all know who Oprah Winfrey is today.
In this book summary, you’ll learn about the dangers of daydreaming for too long instead of taking action; how Jia Jang failed multiple times, but eventually became successful from his trials; and how even at 98 years old, someone can still reach bestseller status!
If you really want to achieve your goals and turn your dreams into reality, then stop lounging around on the sofa – it’s time for some serious hard work!
Grit will help get there every time!
Hard Work Beats Talent Every Time: Why Putting In The Extra Hours Is Crucial For Success
Talent alone won’t get you as far as hard work and passion.
It might seem like those with higher natural abilities have an advantage in life, but this isn’t necessarily true.
People who try harder and are passionate about what they do can often be more successful than ones who rely solely on their talent.
A study conducted in New York by psychology professor Gabriele Oettingen showed that students who put in extra effort had better job offers and larger paychecks following graduation than those who tried to coast on their talent.
This sends a clear message to everyone – talent is important, but it won’t be enough to become truly successful if you don’t pair it with passion and hard work.
The authors of the book Grit to Great ran an advertising agency a few years ago, and were desperate to land a big new client – Wendy’s.
So, instead of just relying on their own skills, they worked incredibly hard for months, even going so far as to work at Wendy’s themselves!
All of this diligent effort paid off when Wendy’s chose them out of all the different agencies because they believed that the team worked the hardest, thus making them the best choice for their business needs.
This shows us that true success comes from taking your talents further with hard work and dedication or even passion if possible.
When you combine those together along with some outside-the-box thinking, then success is bound to follow!
Grit And Passion: How To Lose The Safety Net And Embrace Rejection For Success
At some point in your career you will be faced with taking a risk, breaking the safety net, and confidently trusting in your own abilities.
Nick Wallenda walking across a 1,400-foot wire over the Grand Canyon is an example of this kind of risk-taking.
Though he slipped and could have fallen without any safety net to catch him, his skills, training, and persistence helped him stay on the wire.
In regards to business endeavors, it is always important to research potential risks and competition prior to taking on a new market or venture.
This way you are better informed as to exactly what kind of landscape you may be entering into.
However, if failure knocks at the door don’t let it discourage you from trying again.
Grit can help you make sense of failure and even find success in betrayal; for instance Jia Jiang turning his 100 days of rejections into an online sensation with a book deal shortly after!
Taking risks has its advantages; so embrace opportunities for growth and excitement like Nick Wallenda did when walking across the Grand Canyon: take calculated leaps out of the safe zone knowing that grit will help empower you should failure confront you.
Never Settle: Motivating Yourself For Long-Term Projects, Even As You Age
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that great success comes easily and overnight.
But as illustrated by numerous real life examples, such as Van Gogh, Mike Moore and Captain James Henryng, these successes take much dedication and grit to achieve.
Sometimes it takes hard work and persistence for years or even decades for us to see the results of our labor.
You’ll rarely hear success stories about how someone achieved their goals in an instant – although these stories are out there – they are few and far between.
Success doesn’t come overnight; it takes time, patience, and dedication to meet your goals.
Additionally, it is essential to never lose motivation half way though, even when you feel like giving up.
Taking joy in smaller achievements along the way is key – any progress made should be celebrated no matter how small!
In addition, as people age they should remain motivated and never settle – a “not-yet” attitude is essential to making productive use of our time, such that we can plan ahead each year without getting left behind.
How To Succeed By Failing Forward: The Ability Of Grit To Overcome Adversity
Failure is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to define you – it’s all about what you do with your failures.
Take star poker players for instance – even though they’re dealt bad hands sometimes, the best ones know how to use those experiences to learn and improve in the future.
The same can be said for anything else: no matter who you are or what you do, you’re going to encounter challenges that may seem insurmountable at first.
But these moments present opportunities for learning and progress, not defeat.
Just look at Eleanor Longden – despite a diagnosis of schizophrenia, she was able to pursue her dreams and earned her Ph.D., and now works as a board member of a global support organization helping people with mental illness just like hers!
Grit shouldn’t be just about fear – it should be about gaining more than ever before.
True grit isn’t coming from fear of failure; rather it’s coming from seeing the potential rewards associated with triumph over struggles that are seemingly unachievable.
Oprah Winfrey is proof of this; when she was demoted from her first job as an anchor because her boss didn’t think she was made for TV, she chose not to give up and instead worked hard until she got herself on track to becoming one of the most famous TV stars in history!
So success should mean learning from our experiences and adapting to new ones; this way of thinking can help us take on any challenge we face and achieve incredible things we may never have imagined possible before!
Help Others To Increase Your Grit And Improve Your Quality Of Life
Helping others can be a great way to boost your own motivation and commitment to getting things done.
Just take Navyn Salen as an example – she started off as a stay-at-home mom with three kids and decided to help children suffering from malnutrition.
After years of hard work and dedication, she has now managed to help over 2.5 million children in 44 countries!
Having the opportunity and privilege to help other people is not only beneficial for those you’re helping, but it can also increase your own grit.
When you take time out of your own life to assist someone else, you often gain more than just gratitude – feeling altruistic encourages a sense of self-fulfillment that will reinforce your work ethic.
Furthermore, surrounding yourself with people who support your values can offer guidance and create new opportunities.
Helping people not only builds character and confidence but sharing your wisdom can also help others become grittier in their lives!
So next time you have the opportunity to lend a helping hand remember – it could end up boosting your resilience too!
Wrap Up
Grit to Great advises readers that the key to success is creating grit via resilience, patience, passion, and hard work.
This means striving for your goals without relying solely on natural abilities or giving up at the first sign of failure.
Furthermore, it’s important to choose calculated risks and bravely face the unknown.
As a final summary of this book’s advice, Grit to Great suggests that running a marathon is an effective way to help you kick your junk food habit while still reaching a personal goal.
With a training plan in place, whenever you’re tempted by fast food or other unhealthy snacks – vow to reach for your running shoes instead!
