Grit is not just the stuff that tears apart your bike chain

Many people have talked about Angela Duckworth and her book, Grit: the power of passion and perseverance. As I have yet to read the book, I was happy to get a note from a friend with a high-level summary from Inc. Magazine, 11 Signs You Have the Grit You Need to Succeed: 

Grit is that "extra something" that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.

And the 11 signs are (with more detail at the article - and likely in the book):

1. You have to make mistakes, look like an idiot, and try again, without even flinching.
2. You have to fight when you already feel defeated.
3. You have to make the calls you're afraid to make.
4. You have to keep your emotions in check.
5. You have to trust your gut.
6. You have to give more than you get in return.
7. You have to lead when no one else follows.
8. You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that exceed expectations.
9. You have to focus on the details even when it makes your mind numb. 
10. You have to be kind to people who have been rude to you.
11. You have to be accountable for your actions, no matter what.

The funny thing when I look through this list and see some of the opposites in my own personality, I wonder "now what?"  Does this mean I am not gritty enough?  No, I think the idea is to point in a direction that will create more of this characteristic.

[Photo: "Grit" by KylaBorg]