By: Dr. Yam
Grit is the ability to stick with things when the going gets tough. It is the glue that keeps you together when you want to take the easy way out or give up. Grit insists that you can and you will make it through. Grit sees a way when all hope seems lost.
Whether you are suffering from a breakup, a bankruptcy, a tough spot in parenting, or a health issue, you can get through it. Even when the unthinkable happens. Developing grit will enable you to weather the storm and persevere in both business and personal life.
You may be wondering how grit can improve your personal life. The fact is whatever you give attention to grows. Developing a skill in one area of life automatically transfers to every other area; becoming grittier will automatically enhance your personal life.
Let’s look at the ways grit matters in your personal life:
Increased communication skills - Digging deeper in a relationship requires you to learn to listen and share your thoughts and feelings in healthier ways. Grittier people develop excellent communication skills, share openly and honestly about their needs, and foster meaningful relationships as a result. Knowing and understanding what dominant communication style you have can increase your effectiveness to connect. Consider taking a personality assessment and use the result to your advantage.
Extending kindness and grace - One of the by-products of having grit is the willingness to extended grace and forgive. People with high levels of grit see the world from a wide viewpoint and learn to extend patience, gratitude, and kindness, even when it is not deserved. Grit gives us the ability to withstand tougher people and tougher situations thereby creating a wider tolerance. Ultimately this enhances relationships because there is time to foster growth and change, even with the most difficult people.
Becoming unaffected by the little things - Have a conversation with someone who has grit and you will notice something interesting; they usually don’t sweat the small things. People who have mastered letting things go tend to be un-phased by the first world problems that offend others. Grit-filled people are able to live and let live; they rarely attach judgments to other people’s motives.
Increased loyalty - In a day and age when 50% of marriages end in divorce and 75% of second and subsequent marriages fail, people with grit develop a loyalty that overcomes the odds. People with grit don’t run away when the honeymoon is clearly over; they roll up their sleeves and find a way to stoke the fires to get past the issues at hand.
Going through a difficult time in your business, your workplace or in the community may be the catalyst for developing grit, but the benefits will wash over onto every area of life. Embrace the benefits of becoming a better communicator who is easy to get along with and loyal.
This is a part of “The Biz GRIT Series”
About Dr. Yam:
Yamilette “Dr. Yam” Williams, Ed. D is the Keep It Simple Coach to aspiring and new entrepreneurs and owner of Synergy Solutions Partners, a national education and leadership consulting firm. Her weekly blog posts revolve around her 5 building blocks that one needs to successfully launch their dream biz idea. To learn more, visit and connect with Dr. Yam on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.