HackMake

Michael Schechter reflecting on “grit”:

I’ve always been resilient. I’ve managed to persevere through a fair amount of my crap. I’ve done a good job of getting by, but surviving and thriving are two very different things. Thriving takes grit.

The recent discussion around grit was mostly about defining what grit is. As is Schechter’s case, the journey to discover grit is often about thriving. It’s about finding something in you that pushes you beyond being satisfied with just surviving.

Schechter is able to define why he desires grit:

What I’m really terrified of is not getting to the place where I can make something I’m proud of, something that lasts. Perseverance alone will never be enough to get me where I want to go. I can’t afford to just be resilient anymore, I need to thrive.

To find grit, you need to be wholly committed to thriving. The desire to thrive is what makes you do whatever it takes to get something done. Being passionate about thriving is what pushes you through suffering and brings you out standing on the other side.

Grit won’t make you thrive but not settling for anything less than thriving will give you grit.