The topic of “grit” has come up. This was a popular discussion a few years ago. Whether it’s trendy or not the value of resilience, sticktoitiveness, or grit can’t be overstated. To me, this means not giving up on a goal regardless of hardship, obstacles or setbacks. Paul Harvey, a radio commentator from a while back said, “the secret to my success is when I fall down, I get up.” I think this nicely captures the concept.
Building Grit
To be where you are, you obviously have demonstrated some grit. Your schooling, your life, and your work here at NYU require some degree of perseverance. Debugging technical issues is less technical brilliance and more determination to keep plugging. We need grit in ourselves and in our teams, but how do we build it?
I believe that behaviors are like muscles. We build them up by exercising them. In ourselves, we can recognize that we are about to give up and push through. We can see issues for what they really are. Recognize minor impediments and don’t inflate them. Understand when you face a major problem, step back and think about the best way to approach it. Ask for help.
Embracing Obstacles
While doing my coursework for my Ph.D., I horribly failed my midterm in computer theory. The professor told me there was no way I could pass the course and that I needed to drop. If I didn’t get a B in the course I would not be able to finish my degree in the time that the Army had given me. I don’t like computer theory, it is my weakest area but I kept pushing. I talked to everyone I could to give me different perspectives, I spent all my available time studying. I did everything I could and did well enough on the final that I got the absolute lowest B in the course. Don’t ask me to explain which of two programs that don’t run would run faster if they did run, but I went on to do my dissertation in software engineering. A much more reasonable subject.
Pushing Through
My success in athletics and the military had conditioned me to not be afraid of difficult challenges or seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I was surrounded by others who didn’t quit, so I didn’t either and as a result when I faced this course I knew I might fail, but I wasn’t going to fail without giving it my best.
In others, we can provide the right support to help them grow more resilient. Don’t solve the problem for them. Help them think through the problem and see different solutions. Help them to understand minor issues and not get hung up on them. Many times just providing positive encouragement goes a long way.
Every time we face a challenge and overcome it, we are better prepared to take on the next challenge. As the saying goes, “I know I can do hard things because I’ve done hard things before.” Our brains love repetition so each time we push through a barrier, it gets easier for our minds to recognize a challenge, react efficiently, and respond appropriately.
Annual NYU Wi-Fi Security Certificate
As a reminder, every year, NYU renews the NYU Wi-Fi security certificate. When this happens (which will be on or near June 17), the next time you connect to NYU Wi-Fi you’ll see an alert prompting you to review and accept the new certificate. It’s a simple process, but because it may be the first time someone has encountered it, there are always a few support calls about it. You can find and share instructions and more info about it on the NYU Wi-Fi service page.