I've written about the importance of grit at least once before. I want to write about it again today for one reason. While I am not racing any spring marathons this year, I paced two younger individuals through their first marathons in 2016 and 2017. The woman I paced in 2016 ran Boston nine days ago. The woman I paced in 2017 ran in Delaware three days ago. Each ran faster than she did with me. Did their talent improve? Probably. But they also had grit. They knew how to keep themselves going--each better than in her first marathon.
Grit also played a role in the men's and women's overall winners in Boston this year. In what sense? This year's winners were not the most elite runners who were expected to win. They were definitely elite runners. But they were elite runners who knew how to stick it out. In other words, they had grit.
The grit factor particularly applied to my friend who ran Boston this year. In telling her story, she related tears at mile 15 and arms so sore at mile 18 that she had to ask a spectator to help her retrieve an energy gel. But she kept going. And she ran her second fastest of three marathons.
Will those who are simply fastest win most marathons? Yes. But when the conditions are challenging who has a better chance of an unexpected victory? Those with grit. Those who can keep pressing forward in the face of adversity. Those who know how to continue to motivate themselves when the circumstances are not perfect.
Is this relevant in the workplace? You bet. Talent is important. Skills are important. But when the chips are down, we need people who can keep themselves going and share that grit so that their teams keep going when the situation is imperfect. Those will be the long-term survivors who prove their value in situation after situation and who become valued, stabilizing members of their organizations. I can't speak for the winners in Boston, but I am confident that the two women I paced through their first marathons bring their grit to the office and can make it through in their jobs in much the same way they did in their most recent races.
Grit also played a role in the men's and women's overall winners in Boston this year. In what sense? This year's winners were not the most elite runners who were expected to win. They were definitely elite runners. But they were elite runners who knew how to stick it out. In other words, they had grit.
The grit factor particularly applied to my friend who ran Boston this year. In telling her story, she related tears at mile 15 and arms so sore at mile 18 that she had to ask a spectator to help her retrieve an energy gel. But she kept going. And she ran her second fastest of three marathons.
Will those who are simply fastest win most marathons? Yes. But when the conditions are challenging who has a better chance of an unexpected victory? Those with grit. Those who can keep pressing forward in the face of adversity. Those who know how to continue to motivate themselves when the circumstances are not perfect.
Is this relevant in the workplace? You bet. Talent is important. Skills are important. But when the chips are down, we need people who can keep themselves going and share that grit so that their teams keep going when the situation is imperfect. Those will be the long-term survivors who prove their value in situation after situation and who become valued, stabilizing members of their organizations. I can't speak for the winners in Boston, but I am confident that the two women I paced through their first marathons bring their grit to the office and can make it through in their jobs in much the same way they did in their most recent races.
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