Grit, Fortitude, Determination, and Perseverance

 

If you haven't read this book, I would highly recommend it.  

Grit is the power of continuing and sticking with something.  Even when it's hard.  Even when no one is looking.  

And it is a skill you can build.

We recently ran our first trail race.  It sucked.  So hard.  I honestly thought I was going to pass out at one point and positioned myself so that if I did, I wouldn't fall all the way down the hill I was half way up.  But the years have taught me that I am stronger than I appear in that moment.  

I knew I was going to finish the race and I just needed to catch my breath.  Yeah, it was embarrassing to watch everyone pass me and answering that I was going to be ok to each person.  It pisses me off that I can't take a stupid hill.  So after I got home, after I took a nap, I signed up for the next race in the series even though it is harder than the one I just ran.  

David Goggins has the whole "embrace the suck" down and he encourages people to do one thing that sucks every day.  I think this is a wonderful practice even if you only do it for a week.  

Ed Mylett talks about how he tries to do "one more."

There is a funny saying: If at first you don't succeed, hide all evidence you tried.  

Definitely don't want that, but what do you do when you don't succeed?  What are your coping mechanisms?