ļ»æ00:01 - Angela (Host)
Are you an aspiring leader who knows you have more to offer but you can't seem to get ahead? Do you frequently feel overwhelmed and under-supported? Listen to the Overcome to Become podcast as we talk about actionable tasks and mindsets that you can apply to begin leading yourself. Hi, I'm Dr Angela Buckley, your host and author of the Strength in Nature Leadership Series and Likeable Leadership Reflection Journals. I'm a mother, consultant, triathlete and coach In Overcome to Become. I share with you the science-backed and experienced proven lessons I've learned in my own leadership journey to beat burnout. Hi, welcome back to Overcome to Become, the podcast dedicated to equipping you with the mental tools needed to transform challenges into growth opportunities. I'm your host, Dr. Angela Buckley, and for today we're going to be delving into a topic that's vital for overcoming overwhelm: GRIT..
00:57
Originally explored by Dr Angela Duckworth, grit is described as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Grit is described as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Meanwhile, youth development programs have often used GRIT as an acronym and defined it as growth, resilience, integrity and tenacity. Today, we'll explore the science-backed benefits of GRIT and how it differs from the potentially harmful just-push-through mentality. And at what point should we acknowledge that? Enough is enough? Let's explore together.
01:32
Grit is often seen as the secret ingredient for success, and it is essential for navigating the complexities of our personal and professional lives. But what exactly constitutes grit? According to Dr. Angela Duckworth, it involves a balance between passion and perseverance. It's about maintaining that consistent interest and effort towards a long-term goal. But it's not just about endurance. The youth development acronym, growth, resilience, integrity and TENACITY, adds depth to the concept. Growth involves being open to learning and development, and resilience is about bouncing back from setbacks. I think it has a lot to do with personal self-confidence, and integrity is maintaining authenticity, while tenacity means having the persistence to pursue, while tenacity means having persistence in pursuit of purpose. So let's talk about the positive aspects of grit, starting with passion.
02:35
Passion is more than just enthusiasm. It's a deep-seated drive that keeps you engaged over the long haul. According to research, having a clear sense of purpose linked to your efforts can significantly enhance your motivation and your satisfaction. It fuels perseverance because it aligns with your core values and goals. Perseverance, on the other hand, is about consistency and effort. It's about showing up day after day, even when maybe you don't want to. It involves maintaining effort and interest despite adversity. The ability to persevere is linked to resilience, and resilience is cultivated through facing challenges. They teach us about coping and adapting, which are essential for long-term development. Growth refers to the growth mindset.
03:28
As neuroimaging becomes more and more powerful, we have gained a greater set of knowledge about the human brain. It takes about four weeks or 28 days for a new neuron to grow. A damaged area of the brain can heal, or the brain will create new neural pathways, and this is exciting development and understanding for us. Area of the brain can heal or the brain will create new neural pathways, and this is exciting development and understanding for us. We have proof that our body can grow. We are not stuck with the same mentality or the lot that life has given us. My son's teachers at school love to add the word yet to their phrases. When a child says, but I'm not good at math, the teacher responds you may not be good at math yet, and that is why we practice. It is such an important lesson that perhaps where we are right now is not where we want to be, but we have the strength and the ability to grow and this is why we need to practice and we need mental reps, reps and we need reinforcement. So let's move on to resilience. The brief resilience scale, which we use in my coaching program, consists of six self-rated questions, and I'm a big fan of measuring things, partially because I think what gets measured gets done, but also because it helps us understand where we are and gives us a focus of where we need to go. Some things, however, are more difficult to measure than others, and there's no set agreement of how to measure resilience yet among scholars, so I've chosen to work with the brief resilience scale as I walk clients through their journey to beat burnout.
05:14
Integrity let's pause for a second and consider the definitions of integrity. Integrity can simply mean being strong, honest, exhibiting good moral principles. However, I find moral principles change from culture to culture and organization to organization. In part, this is why integrity is so difficult to measure. The Oxford Dictionary includes another definition that states the condition of being whole and undivided, and for the purpose of overwhelming burnout, this definition is really powerful.
05:48
As a leader of teams, our goal is to exhibit integrity, and so now we've talked about GRI in the youth model, and that brings us to T for tenacity, and this is the next pillar. This is what propels us forward, even when faced with obstacles. Recent studies highlight that tenacity is linked closely with creativity and problem solving, allowing individuals to find new pathways to reach their goals rather than blindly forging ahead against insurmountable odds. However, it's important to differentiate between healthy perseverance and the toxic mindset of just push through. Continuously pushing through beyond your limits can lead to burnout and diminish your effectiveness.
06:36
Science emphasizes the importance of balance, suggesting that knowing when to pause, reassess and even pivot your approach is as crucial as the perseverance itself. So how do we know when enough is enough? The key is self-awareness, combined with the reflective practice Regularly assess your goals and listen to your mental and physical well-being. Checking in with yourself allows you to determine whether persistence is propelling you forward or if it's time to adapt your strategy. Persistence is propelling you forward or if it's time to adapt your strategy? Introducing breaks and rest periods into your routine is not a sign of weakness, but it is a strategic way to maintain high levels of performance.
07:20
Balance your grit with grace. Acknowledge that stepping back and redirecting focus is sometimes the smartest choice. As leaders, it's our role to model this understanding of grit to our teams. Encourage growth through learning opportunities and resilience by normalizing failure as a part of the growth process. Promote integrity by aligning tasks with each team member's values and, lastly, support tenacity by providing an environment that encourages creative problem solving and balanced pursuit of goals. So, as we wrap up, consider how you can apply the true spirit of grit in your own life and the lives of those you lead. When have you embraced tenacity and perseverance wisely, but also recognized when to recalibrate? Thank you for joining me in this conversation on grit. I hope it gives you new insights into balancing passion with prudence in your journey towards success.
08:20
Join us on our next episode of Overcome to Become, where we continue exploring strategies for growth and empowerment. Please subscribe, leave a review wherever you listen and share this podcast with those who might benefit. Remember, true grit is not just about enduring but evolving. Until next time, stay passionate, stay resilient and know when enough is just right. You've just listened to another episode of Overcome to Become. Thank you for joining me, Angela Buckley, your host, as we explored actions and mindsets to overcome the overwhelm and beat burnout. Did you know that when you learn to lead yourself, you can effectively learn to lead others? You can apply these skills in your home, at work and in the community. If you'd like to learn more, join us in the Strength in Nature Learning Academy, we are currently featuring the Overcome the Overwhelm course with a 20% off coupon code OTB2024. That's valid until the end of 2024. You can join me in my community at www.strengthinnature.com, and on Instagram at creativelyefficient. Thanks for listening. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
