True Grit

If you need to be inspired to keep your nose to the grindstone in a way that doesn't take too much time away from that nose-grindstone contact, try this lovely tidbit. Ira Glass is incredible, anyway, and now he brings us years' worth of wisdom in two minutes.

On  the same day, I read an article that scientifically proved that success is better predicted by a person's "grit" quotient than by intelligence. Grit is perseverance and enthusiasm for long-term goals that cause an aversion to giving up. More or less, doggedness.

So I bit. I took the test. And thank goodness, this is how it came out:

That's 98, 99 and 97th percentiles across the board. I am gritty. Yes! Some long term things I've accomplished that bear this out are finishing an epic novel even while I moved to four different states, a PhD, two thesis-based master's degrees, and founding not one but two publishing companies.

So, that predicts success in the future, right? Because we all need to know the end goal isn't totally out of reach, and – dare I say it? – maybe even visible from here. I may be super gritty, but I'm starting to cramp up from keeping my heels dug in...