By Bayo Ogunmupe
To win in life, you need the indomitable spirit called grit. The
Germans who are known for team spirit and hard work have grit as a
concept known as sitzfleisch. The concept is taught in German schools
and polytechnics. You need to imbibe this stick by it spirit. If you
have grit, it means you can endure lengthy or boring tasks until they
are done. The cultural association is the ability to sit still for an
extended period of time to get things done. Grit is the antidote to
procrastination- getting things done through hard periods of
uninterrupted work. The dictionary also translated it as endurance, but
it can also be called 'staying power,' that you are able to sit in one
place for an extended period of time.
Sitzfleisch describes a character trait of endurance or the capacity to
sit and put up with your uncomfortable tasks until they are done. It
means sitting still for the long period of time required to be truly
productive. It means having the stamina to work through a difficult
situation and see a project through to the end. Every worthwhile
endeavor requires concentration, focus and endurance. But developing
grit takes practice. Getting good at anything requires time,
application, perseverance and emotional courage to to keep moving. When
your ultimate goal is to write a book, manage a project to conclusion,
as a coach lead a team to a tournament or improve your skill for the
attainment of a major goal, the process is always the same - commit time
and energy to a single purpose long enough and you will get the results
you are seeking. Never allow distraction get in the way of what you
must do. Work on one thing at a time.
Then,
how do you cultivate grit? You have to learn getting used to the
discomfort of getting things done. To gain the best chance of succeeding
when practising grit, you must recognise you need to work on your
endurance. You must also have the desire to improve your productivity.
You must optimise your environment for focus. Never underestimate how
adjusting your surroundings can make you more productive. Thus, your
immediate work environment matters much more to your personal efficiency
than you might think. Prime yourself for grit by taking care of the
noise, notifications, and small talk around you. Indeed, the right kind
of sound can relax your mind, hone your focus and drown out
distractions.
Research has found that a
high level of noise hurts creativity. Says a researcher: "Process
measures reveal that a moderate as opposed to low level of noise
increases processing difficulty, inducing a higher construal level and
thus promoting abstract processing, which subsequently leads to higher
creativity. A high level of noise, however, reduces the extent of
information processing and thus impairs creativity." If you like working
to music, your personal preferences will play a part in what you choose
to listen to. Optimize your productivity by making your work
environment a positive, attractive and organized space. Experiment, but
later stick to a comfortable work environment that supports focused
work.
Your staying power in an optimized
environment helps you achieve personal efficiency. "If you feel
threatened by a situation, you will become stressed," writes a professor
of Creative Problem Solving Tchiki Davis, PhD. "But if instead you
viewed it as a challenge or an opportunity to overcome adversity- you
will be able to transform your stress into invigoration." Being able to
embrace your work, as a challenge, no matter how difficult, instead if
viewing it as a threat, is a way to overcome the challenge of finishing
what you start. The great thing about grit is that it enables you to
uncover the power and courage to follow through with your unfinished
work. Grit also refers you to any task you cannot muster the courage to
overcome or get done.
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