Growing Grit

Grit is holding onto your truest potential even though you’re feeling all of the pressure to just let go.

There’s grit on sandpaper, things that make us grit our teeth, but there’s also the grit that lies in the
depths of our souls. Guts, resilience, initiative, and tenacity. In it’s simplest form, grit fills the space
where we would normally have regret. Having the persistence to do the undone, and the
steadfastness to do high quality work. Easy as 1, 2, 3… right? The truth is, that growing your grit is a
constantly ongoing process. Just like every day we get 1% better, we get 1% tougher when we utilize
the key of consistency. Shari Cole, former OU Women’s Basketball Coach and accomplished
speaker said that she liked when her players had grit, because it made them less slippery. Where in
life do you feel like you’re slipping through the cracks? Grit helps us hold on where our time and
talents are needed the most. As we head into the busy spring season at full speed, it’s important to
think about how we can keep increasing and utilizing our grit as life goes on, so when times get a
little tougher than normal, we’re ready to sleep through the storm.

When I think about grit, I think about the time that I showed quite the opposite during my high
school wrestling career. All throughout wrestling in high school, there was only one thought on my
mind when it came to match day: I am ready to quit. So ready to quit, that I missed out on all of the
fun memories, life lessons, and opportunities that I could’ve soaked up, even though I didn’t enjoy
the sport itself. Why? My grit-factory was robbed by the monster we call comparison. Am I athletic
enough to be a wrestler? Why am I not as good as my teammates? Would I be more successful if I
lost/gained more weight? It took me a long time to realize that I’ll always come in second place if I
let my fear rule me.

Although none of us are selfish by nature, our worries are, and they make us ‘slippery’ just like
Coach Cole says. Grit has to be grown like a tough outer shell. The fact of the matter is that growing
your grit involves letting go of comparison, anxiety, fear, etc. So instead of asking myself – ‘what do
they have that I don’t?’ I started asking instead – what do I have that others can benefit from?’
Growing your grit is a true act of service, because it takes grit to set your own troubles aside to think
about the amazing things you can do to help grow others. Focus on time well spent growing the gifts
that you give others, especially when others can inherit the grit they see in you.

Grit book author Angela Duckworth says that “Grit is sticking with your future. Not just for the week,
not just for the month, but for years.” Grit is holding onto your truest potential even though you’re
feeling all of the pressure to just let go. In early December, K-State’s Agricultural Education Club
hosts a banquet to honor seniors, award scholarships, and hear from incredible speakers. This
year’s banquet speaker was Mr. Cade Fiske, Agricultural Educator and FFA Advisor at Mission
Valley. When speaking about his experience as an Ag Ed student, Mr. Fiske said that he
contemplated switching his major several times, because “the journey ahead was unknown”. There
are many times in our daily lives where we feel like falling off of our full potential for the sake of
comfortability and familiarity. Today, I am so thankful that Mr. Fiske decided to stick with Agricultural Education and be a light for me, his students, and many others that he influences and
will continue to inspire throughout his lifetime. All because he had the grit to stick to his potential,
and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Be less slippery and stay gritty in the grasp of others, because when others are holding on, you in
turn, are supported.

Love always,