Sublime

Humility is what keeps us there, concerned that we don’t know enough and that we must continue to study. Ego rushes to the end, rationalizes that patience is for losers (wrongly seeing it as a weakness), and assumes that we’re good enough to give our talents a go in the world.

two character traits that are positively correlated to success in life: grit and self-control. Grit is defined as sustained interest and effort toward long-term goals, and self-control involves the voluntary regulation of behavior, emotion, and attention in the presence of distractions or temptations.

There are four factors that Duckworth calls “the psychological assets that mature paragons of grit have in common.”

The Grit Scale statement “I have been obsessed with a certain idea or project for a short time but later lost interest” is Van Gogh in a nutshell, at least up until the final few years of his life when he settled on his unique style and creatively erupted.

This ability to persevere despite obstacles and setbacks is the quality people most admire in others, and justly so; it is probably the most important trait not only for succeeding in life, but for enjoying it as well.

In a study of nearly sixteen thousand subjects, Angela Duckworth and Yale psychologist Katherine Von Culin found a clear link between grit and what level of happiness people pursue.10 Less gritty people hunt happiness through pleasure, while grittier folks choose engagement.

“A real advantage is conferred on people who can do things that are first-order negative, second-order positive,” Parrish writes.39 These people delay gratification in a world that has become obsessed with it. They don’t quit simply because their rocket blew up on the launch pad, they had a bad quarter, or their audition fell flat. They reorient th

Grit isn’t always this grim and serious. In fact, even in the most dire situations grit is sometimes nothing more than a game.

You go nowhere without character. Character is essential to individuals, and their cumulative character is the backbone of your winning team.