Grit

Apparently there is a personality trait more important than brains, talent, or ability. People who have the ability to gut it out - to set a far-reaching goal and drive relentlessly toward it, tend to be more successful in everything they attempt.

This makes sense to me. If you never give up, even if you get bored or you lose interest etc., you're going to reach your goals. If you want something bad enough, not even adversity will hold you back, and the trait that does it for you is called grit. It trumps IQ scores, fitness level, etc.

So if you have a goal, tap into your inner grittiness. Some people are born with it; if you weren't, don't worry, you can cultivate it. The first step is to write down your goal and be specific. So instead of saying "I want to lose weight", I'm saying "I want to lose 30 pounds".

The next key is to make sure you're passionate about whatever you're trying to achieve. It's about doing something because you want to - because you truly care about it.

Visualization is the next important part. By imagining yourself attaining that goal and being successful, you make the whole process more "real" and can help you suck it up and keep going. It helps you realize that you WANT to reach the goal and feel like you accomplished something.

Optimism is the last piece of the grit puzzle. Being pessimistic can drag down your spirits, make all your efforts seem in vain. By keeping your head up and viewing the whole process positively, you're less likely to give up after experiencing a few setbacks.

To stay positive, try recording your successes. By writing them down, you can look over them easily if you ever feel like quitting.

I've decided to take all this information to heart. I can be gritty!