Developing grit requires that we grow beyond the need for approval from others.
Approve of yourself! Know who you are. Know why you’re here. Live it!
Look, you were born to be great.
Let that sink in please.
Not great like me.
Not great like your parents.
Not great like society tells you.
Not even what society tells you is great.
You were born to be great on your own terms.
It doesn’t matter whether I think your definition of great is great or not.
In fact, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks.
Because the fact is that most people don’t think!
Not really.
It only matters what you think.
The vast majority of people think they think. But they don’t think.
They just buy in and sell-out to what society tells them they
should think, believe, do, and hold in high regard.
Thinking for yourself takes grit.
What exactly is grit; and is it important?
It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. The masses are doing easy.
The masses don’t have grit.
That’s why they’re so unhappy and unfulfilled.
Look, living your own life is not easy.
It’s not supposed to be easy.
If it were easy then everyone would be doing it.
There are many qualities and characteristics of grit. That’s not our purpose today.
For to even get to grit you must let go of a few fundamental things; and those are what I’d like to briefly discuss here in this treatise.
To develop grit you have to let go of many outside influences
and decide to live your own life. Live on your own terms.
This is not easy. It’s not supposed to be.
Easy is the strategy of the masses. That’s why 71% of the people surveyed are unhappy and unfulfilled—and those are just the ones who admit it!
None of the following are easy. If they were easy everyone would be doing them. But the rewards are amazing.
1. Let go of outside influence and control. This is a tough one. Grit requires that you set your own goals and objectives, above and beyond your socialized conditioning. Let go of what society and friends think are important, and decide for yourself what YOU believe important and hold in high value.
Grit requires that you define and set your own goals and objectives.
Whether anyone else agrees with them or not. It’s your life. They have theirs.
2. Let go of external motivation.
Look, motivation comes from outside. If you need it you’re a slave to an external source or input. Inspiration comes from inside. This is determined solely by you. When you find your unique gift and genius, and align it with your purpose, you’re inspired. You no longer need motivation.
3. Let go of the need for approval from others.
This is a tough one because it’s almost as if we’re hardwired for approval, understanding, and support from other people.
One of the five primary fears in humanity is the fear of loss or lack of approval
Letting fear run rampant steals dreams and keep you hugging the shoreline.
4. Finally, you must let go of and forgive the past.
Lack of forgiveness is heavy baggage that weighs you down. There are three levels that must be forgiven: yourself, others and the situation.
The grit needed to motor forward and achieve your goals and intentions
demands every-single-thing you have. You must forgive—everything.
Yourself, others and situations. You don’t have enough energy to carry extra baggage.
The grit needed to motor toward your goals and intentions demands everything you have. You don’t have enough left over to carry baggage.
Once you have let go of these four things, 3 externals and 1 internal, you’ve already begun the journey of grit; and you’re well on your way to living a full and fulfilling life on your own terms.
And that my friend is true greatness.
There’s more of course—there’s always more.
Stay Awake, Love Life and Be Epic!
James
