In my recent post on here, I said
…. grit has been shown to be a better indicator of long term success. This can be related to football, is skill really the deciding factor in long term success (i.e. making it) or is it the passion and perseverance (grit) that will help players make it.
So it’s that easy right?
Grit in football is often used as a way to describe a tough performance, digging in for the win, but really grit is the maintenance of motivation over many years to reach your goals, ignoring the setbacks and sacrifices, to reach your long term goals!
The main protagonist in the study of grit is Angela Duckworth and although her career has focused on grit it started out with the question, “who is successful and why?”. Her common conclusion and the growing global feeling is that the biggest indicator of success is grit.
Quite often those who make it in football have overcome some hurdles and negativity. It’s certainly not always the top player in the group growing up who becomes the first team star. It’s often felt that, to make it, you need to overcome some hurdles. Sure, entitlement is the real poison, but really I feel that those who are successful have grit.
Now you want to know, how can we develop grit?
Can grit be taught?
It is true that a part of grit is genetic. Some people simply have a grittier personality but it can also be said that, grit is also developed and it is this side of grit we want to understand. As I type this blog post I am focusing mainly on young people, as at ProFormance, this is out main focus, helping young people get better.
A parent is a child’s first role model. They see their parents getting up early, working hard, loving what they do. This can set an early presedence for an impressionable mind. We also see this with coaches, the standards they set out are adopted by players within their groups.
We naturally day dream, plot, or create world’s that don’t exist. We are wired to grow, we are open to new ideas. It is often said ‘we either win or we learn’ and it is this sort of growth mindset that enables us to develop grit. When you are open to learn and have a passion, grit will develop.
To develop grit you will need;
- Choose something you love.
- A long term goal.Give yourself purpose.
- Practice towards this goal. Deliberate practice.
- Don’t skip the hard parts. Always have hope you can succeed. Break it down.
- Have patients. Give yourself time to devote yourself to practice.
As grit is develop a parent, or someone close to the player (child etc…. ) is need to support this purposeful practice. My dad didn’t want me to quit on a bad day
You need your parent to push you – I don’t want you to quit on a bad day
You need at least one other person to support you on a bad day
I would recommend the following steps to support the development of grit;
Allow people to follow things they love, discover a passion. Try everything!
Show people that it is possible. Show the pot of gold. David Beckham.
Experts practice constantly, show the plan.
Give feedback. Coach a coach who has feedback.
Accept failure. Show the science, we know failure will happen, but work harder and succeed.
To develop grit;
Make things fun, enable yourself to find a passion. A passion is not discovered, it is developed.
Share this passion and encourage excitement in their passion.
Help set the long term goal.
Give role models and examples.
Support on the tough days, encourage them to never quit on a tough day.
As what the hard part is, and work out how to break that down in smaller pieces.
Entitlement is the real poison and the biggest cause of failure for aspiring football player, I am certain of that. Give yourself time to practice, stay in the game, learn and be the best you can be.
If you are going to excel at something, to be your best, then you need to take time to climb the skills ladder. If you stop your skill level will diminish. It is certain you lose skill when you drop out. Understand and develop grit to enable you to reach your long term goals. Giving up is the only certain way to fail.
Go on, strive to be world class at something you love!