#2 Grit and Grind
In other words, the hard yards, the day job, the repetition, the Groundhog Week…but is that how they are really seen by the best of the best leaders? In short… NO! But what is the Grit and the Grind?
Grit: courage and resolve; strength of character. “I’ve known few men who could match his grit”
Grind: 1) to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth), grind the coffee beans
2) to wear down, polish, or sharpen by friction, ie. grind an axe
To most of us the grit and the grind is the hardest part of the job – the bit we really don’t enjoy. It’s mundane and boring. But let’s look at it from a couple of different perspectives…
1) One of the best recruiters I know (who is now a country Director for a famous international firm) has an almost split personality when it comes to the grit and the grind – he knows it brings success and he knows he is leading by example.
“If I do this every day, and do it well, it creates success. It really is that simple; I love being a success therefore I love the grind”
2) Another “hero” of mine is David Goggins. He, without doubt, has driven me through some dark places and he has a very interesting take on the grit and the grind.
And a quote of his that sits on my desk is
“You have to build calluses on your brain just like how you build calluses on your hands. Callus your mind through pain and suffering. Get gnarly.”
So, what does this mean in daily life? In my personal life it’s going running, swimming, or cycling without making it a ‘thing’ – just doing it – a lot! Then, when I go to an event I can enjoy it as my base level of ability is high enough, and I know I can do it without thinking.
For work it’s doing 50 calls a day, every day, without fail – making it as normal as breathing – this is not boring, this is not hard, it’s just what I do. The best leaders I have met – embrace the grit and love the grind. They accept its brilliance and its simplicity.
So think about your world. What are you going to do from now on, every day, that will generate the most amazing results?
As James Clear quotes in his book Atomic Habits – “Doing one thing better by just 1% a day equals a 37x improvement in a year” – just imagine that.
There is it. Why the grit and the grind are the gifts that keep giving!
Get out there and get gnarly!